Probably because they are an endangered species same as elephants and Rhino, tigers, grizz, just all killed none left. Stick with elk and moose, deer, better that way.
Sir, with all due respect, Elephant are closer to vermin than what it is to endangered. There are way too many. Sure, some pockets are under pressure but in the greater scheme of things, and the population as a whole, we need to cull thousands if not 100 of thousands of animals. They talk about a need to cull 45K elephant in Hwange alone.
The Leopard ban is simply from incompetence of not having the necessary knowledge.
There are plenty of Leopard.
