Animal rights: bird, bull and buffalo fighting and British hunting

After a nine-year hiatus, bird and buffalo fights are returning to festivals in northeastern India by the decision of the Supreme Court. In mid-January this year, during the Magh Bihu harvest festival, animal fights were organized in Assam by the new state law to ensure their safety. Passerine bilbies take part in the bird fights and later should be released into the wild in good health, while the buffaloes are under constant veterinary supervision.

After the Supreme Court’s decision and an almost two-year break, bullfights returned to Mexico City. In May 2022, a local court ordered it to end in Mexico’s capital, and in December 2023, the Supreme Court temporarily overturned that decision. Bullfighting has occurred in Mexico since the 16th century, and only a few of the 32 states have banned it. Farmers, businessmen and fighting enthusiasts argue that a ban would hit tens of thousands of jobs related to that activity, which they believe generates about $400 million annually.

Since October 2019, British hunters have killed at least 715 animals while hunting abroad and then brought their bodies (whole or fragments) to the British Isles as souvenirs. The British hunt, among others, lions, African elephants, giraffes, hippos, zebras, leopards, Russian bears, American cougars and Asian mountain sheep – species that are under increasing pressure from habitat loss, climate change, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade flora. The British authorities announce a ban on the import of this type of hunting trophy.