Submitted Electronically via eRulemaking Portal

Uplisting of Panthera Leo will do nothing positive for the long term success of the species in the wild. The lion is under threat due to loss of habitat, ranching, and poaching. However it is not under threat by the sport trophy hunters. Just the opposite is true. The sport trophy hunters provide a significant amount of money that, in part, helps ensure habitat is available for the lion. In areas that have outlawed lion hunting the habitat has quickly disappeared. Kenya is a great example of this as they had a similar number of lions and Tanz when they closed hunting. Now the great hunting blocks are gone and replaced with farms, villages and ranches. And they have a small percent of lions that they once had. Don't destroy a species under the guise of saving it. Thank you, John Hunt