Bush senior wants Botswana to drop ban on lion hunting

Former US President George Bush wants Botswana to drop a ban on trophy hunting lions.

Mr Bush is among prominent members of the Safari Club International who have written to the Botswanan authorities.

Botswana's government usually permits the shooting of about 50 lions a year by trophy hunters.

However, it has decided to impose the ban because of a disproportionate killing of mature males.

Rich Americans, Europeans and Japanese pay about £20,000 a time to kill a lion in Botswana.

The Arizona-based SCI describes itself as the largest hunting organisation in the world and has reportedly labelled its critics as "animal protection extremists".

Mr Bush's former vice-president, Dan Quayle, is also among the signatories along with Gulf War veteran, General Norman Schwarzkopf.