Cargolux has placed a ban on the transport of lion bones on board all its aircraft.

According to the carrier, lion bone trafficking has been grooving over the past decade and is closely linked to both poaching and lion breeding for trophy hunts, practices that are not in line with Cargolux’s stance on wildlife conservation.

“Cargolux is strongly committed to conservation and animal welfare, a cause that the company increasingly engages in wherever possible,” said Richard Forson, president and CEO of Cargolux. “Once we became aware of the emergence of this trade, the decision was immediately taken to ban the transport of such cargo throughout our network. It is highly important that all players in the transport industry recognize their responsibility towards wildlife trafficking and take all applicable measures to eliminate this trade.”

Cargolux has so far not yet been approached to handle shipments of lion bones and is one of the first major cargo carriers to ban these shipments in order raise awareness and promote ethical operations.

“Thank you very much to Cargolux for being so proactive and transparent and taking note of our Extinction Business Report findings by placing a pre-emptive ban on the transport of lion bones,” said Michele Pickover, director of the EMS Foundation, which promotes the rights and welfare of wild animals in Africa. “We are absolutely delighted. On behalf of all South Africa’s lions, and indeed lions across our continent, thank you Cargolux!  This positive decision will go some way in disrupting this abhorrent and cruel trade. It also sets a great example to all the other cargo airlines to take more ethical decisions when it comes to the international wildlife trade. Many airlines may be unaware of the trade itself or its implications for both African lions and Asian tigers. I believe that once they are informed about what this trade entails they took the correct and logical decision not to support it.”

Cargolux banned the transport of hunting trophies and joined the United for Wildlife International Taskforce on the Transportation of Illegal Wildlife Products in 2018.

As part of its live animal transportation policy, Cargolux operates in full compliance with the International Air Transport Association’s Live Animal Regulations as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Cargolux is also a member of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association, the Animal Transport Association and the IATA Live Animals and Perishables Board.