Kenya banned trophy hunting in 1977, one of the first African countries to do so. The decision was political and ethical, a statement that wildlife had value beyond what hunters would pay to kill it. The ban was controversial. Some argued it removed economic incentives for conservation. Others said it was the right moral choice. Kenya chose tourism over hunting, betting that live animals were worth more than dead ones. The bet paid off. Kenya's tourism industry thrived, and the hunting ban became a point of national pride.