@wire_wildlife: This real lion purse was imported to the U.S. legally in the 1970s from Kenya and later donated to the National Wildlife Property Repository, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s storage facility for seized and surrendered wildlife products.  The strong reactions it evokes reflect longstanding debates about sport hunting, the commercial wildlife trade, and conservation. While a lion purse once may have been seen as a luxury item, awareness of threats to lions has grown, and carrying it today would almost certainly elicit swift public outrage.  The repository uses the purse as a teaching item, for educating the public about the wildlife trade and training law enforcement, says Fish and Wildlife’s Taliah Farnsworth. Importing an item like this today to the U.S. would be much more difficult—and in many cases, prohibited—because lions are protected under both the Endangered Species Act and CITES, the international treaty that regulates the wildlife trade. Lions are threatened by habitat loss, conflict with humans, snares, the illegal trade in their parts, and in some places, poorly managed sport hunting. Read the full story, “Where the Wild Things Go,” in our “Watchdog Wildlife Journalism” newsletter, now live on our LinkedIn page: Wildlife Investigative Reporters & Editors. 📝 Support independent wildlife investigations by donating to WIRE today through the 🔗 in bio and at wireonline.org. 🌎  🎥: Rachael Bale

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Saturday 17 October 2026 17:35:43 GMT