An Urgent Warning About Leopard Trophies From Namibia
If you have taken a leopard in Namibia and it has not been shipped yet, contact your safari operator immediately to halt the shipment. US Fish & Wildlife Services is confiscating leopard trophies from Namibia. The reason is that Namibia is using a detachable tag that does not meet the technical requirements for shipment of leopards. No one should allow his trophy to be shipped until this problem has been solved.
Leopards must be shipped with a non-detachable tag. Word we have is Namibia simply didn't have - or use - the right kind of tag. Any trophies shipped with detachable tags are subject to seizure. In the past, USF&WS has treated this kind of violation as grounds for permanent seizure of trophies. Their approach is what is called strict liability - this is the same approach TSA takes toward passengers who forget they have a gun and try to go through security - they are presumed guilty. There is no "innocent owner" of an improperly shipped leopard. The leopard is treated as contraband and is seized permanently.
Leopards must be shipped with a non-detachable tag. Word we have is Namibia simply didn't have - or use - the right kind of tag. Any trophies shipped with detachable tags are subject to seizure. In the past, USF&WS has treated this kind of violation as grounds for permanent seizure of trophies. Their approach is what is called strict liability - this is the same approach TSA takes toward passengers who forget they have a gun and try to go through security - they are presumed guilty. There is no "innocent owner" of an improperly shipped leopard. The leopard is treated as contraband and is seized permanently.
