Animal charity sues U.S. over African elephant trophy program

Friends of Animals has sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in its quest to learn how many permits the agency granted to hunters importing African elephant sporthunted trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Friends of Animals filed a civil lawsuit Tuesday asking a judge in U.S. District Court in Denver to issue an injunction ordering the agency to reveal how many permits were issued between Dec. 1, 2017, and April 5, 2018.

The international non profit animal advocacy group is trying to expose the Fish and Wildlife Service’s practice of issuing “threatened species permits” for African sporthunted elephant trophies from Zimbabwe and Zambia, according to the lawsuit filed by Centennial attorney, Jennifer Best, assis tant legal director of the nonprofit’s law program.

The 200,000member group filed a Freedom of Information Act request on April 5, but Fish and Wildlife has failed to deliver the documents “free of cost.” The charity seeks to free animals from cruelty and exploitation around the world.

“The prompt release of information is essential due to immediate public interest,” the lawsuit says. “This data will help Friends of Animals further its mission and deepen public understanding of the current crisis African elephants are facing and the effect sport hunting has on African elephants.”

The lawsuit was filed in Denver federal court because the charity’s Friends of Animals’ Wildlife Law Program is located at 7500 E. Arapahoe Road, Centennial.