Even after the continuous efforts that are being done by authorities to protect Puffins, an endangered species of birds, trophy hunters from Britain are killing around 100 puffins at a time during their hunting trips to Iceland.

MPs and activists are asking the government to ban/stop the import of puffin trophies.

Killing or injuring puffins is not allowed in the UK, but the endangered species of birds are not protected by the laws of Iceland.

Hunters from Britain are going on special hunting tours that cost around 3000 pounds. They are brought to Iceland so they can hunt for puffins.

The population of puffins has dropped continuously and it is said that there only 1.5 million puffin birds left.

In 2015, the International Union for Conservation of Nature listed Puffin birds in the vulnerable list. This means that they can go extinct in the future.

Most of the puffin birds that are hunted in Iceland are served as food to tourists, this has been part of their cuisine for centuries.

The thing that has bothered activists the most is the fact that trophy hunters are bringing back the carcasses of puffins back to Britain after their trip.

Eduardo Goncalves, a member of the campaign to ban trophy hunting, said, “The puffin is now in danger of becoming extinct, and uncontrolled hunting has been identified as a leading cause. There should be an immediate moratorium imposed before it is too late.”

Eduardo added, “CITES keeps no data on how many puffins are shot for recreation or traded. It is incredible that such an iconic species has been forgotten by the international community.”

Sir Roger Gales, the chair of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation said that he believed Ms. Villiers can place a ban on puffin trophy imports.

Sir Gales said, “Personally I regard the whole practice as abhorrent. I don’t believe in trophy hunting at all for any species. I don’t think there is any excuse for it. I believe there is much more tourism to be generated by preservation and conservation rather than by killing puffins.”