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The Origins Foundation has joined a coalition of international wildlife organisations opposing France’s proposed ban on legally obtained hunting trophy imports – a decision that directly threatens Zimbabwe’s conservation model, rural livelihoods and safari industry.
In a formal appeal to French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, the foundation warned that prohibiting imports of threatened species, such as African elephants, lions and rhinos found across Southern Africa, could dismantle the vital economic model that funds anti-poaching and community support.
The Origins Foundation is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to advocating for regulated hunting, wildlife conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. It was founded and led by Dr Robert Kröger, a South African native and scientist based in the United States.
The French movement follows a 31 July regulatory instruction issued by Mathieu Lefèvre, France’s minister delegate for ecological transition, halting import permits for CITES Appendix I and II listed species ahead of a formal executive decree.
International hunting representatives have warned that the French government plans to enact the ban via executive decree, bypassing parliamentary debate and the sovereign nations directly impacted.
“This initiative has reached a critical point,” warned Jean-Pierre Bernon, president of the Association des Guides de Grande Chasse (AGGC) and vice-president of the International Professional Hunters Association.
“The prime minister is intending shortly to impose the ban through a prime ministerial decree, bypassing both the National Assembly and the Senate. Such a measure would be adopted without parliamentary debate, without consultation with elected representatives and without hearing the countries directly concerned.”
Zimbabwean safari operators and conservation bodies have expressed deep alarm over the proposed measures.
In Zimbabwe, where nearly 28 percent of the total landmass is designated as protected territory, safari tourism drives vital revenue to rural communities that bear the heavy costs of living alongside dangerous wildlife.
Highlighting the economic necessity of regulated hunting, Dr Kröger, founder and executive director of The Origins Foundation, said:
“This debate is often reduced to whether someone personally supports or opposes hunting. The larger question is what happens to wildlife, habitat and rural communities when the economic system supporting them disappears.
“Regulated hunting provides value and incentives for wildlife to exist. Without that value, wildlife has to compete with agriculture, livestock and other forms of land use.”
Dr Emmanuel Fundira, president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe (SOAZ), similarly emphasised that Western bans threaten the financial ecosystem that keeps habitats intact, while human-wildlife conflict incidents in Zimbabwe rose from 1,654 in 2024 to 2,090 in 2025.
“Safari tourism serves as a major engine for Zimbabwe’s overall travel and hospitality sector, injecting critical funding directly into rural communities and conservation management,” Dr Fundira said.
“The issue is not simply about hunting trophies. It is about whether wildlife retains enough economic value to justify protecting habitat and supporting communities that live with wildlife.”
