African Lions to Be Protected as Endangered Species

The decision comes just months after the death of 'Cecil the Lion'

Lions in certain parts of Africa will soon be protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) was expected to announce Monday. The listing will add news restrictions to keep hunters from bringing back lion heads to the U.S. as trophies.

The move comes just months after a story about an American dentist killing a lion known as Cecil in Zimbabwe drew condemnation from around the world. Officials in Zimbabwe ruled that killing was illegal because of how it was carried out, but the practice is still legal for those willing to pay.

The decision drew immediate praise from animal rights activists who have been working for more than four years to list African lions as endangered. Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the U.S. Humane Society, described the new rule as “one of the most consequential” from the FWS in years. “This listing decision…is likely to dramatically change the equation for American trophy hunters who have been killing lions by the hundreds each year for their parts,” he said in a statement.