Trump stays rule on elephant parts

In this file photo taken Tuesday, March 9, 2010, elephants use their trunks to smell for possible danger in the Tsavo East national park, Kenya. The Trump administration is lifting a federal ban on the importation of body parts from African elephants shot for sport. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo, File)
In this file photo taken Tuesday, March 9, 2010, elephants use their trunks to smell for possible danger in the Tsavo East national park, Kenya. The Trump administration is lifting a federal ban on the importation of body parts from African elephants shot for sport. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo, File)

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump said Friday that he's delaying a new policy allowing the body parts of African elephants shot for sport to be imported until he can review "all conservation facts."

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Thursday that it would allow such importation, arguing that encouraging wealthy big-game hunters to kill the threatened species would help raise money for conservation programs.

Animal-welfare advocates and environmental groups criticized the decision.

Trump tweeted Friday that the policy had been "under study for years." He said he would put the decision "on hold" and review it with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

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Zinke issued a statement later Friday saying he and Trump talked and that the policy would be put on hold while it is reviewed.

A Section on 11/18/2017

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