Dallas Safari Club and the other plaintiffs -- including Louisiana-based Conservation Force, the Houston Safari Club, Zimbabwe's CAMPFIRE Association and the Tanzania Hunting Operators Association -- claim the ban will cause a "catastrophic" chain reaction.

"Delta's embargo threatens the tourist safari hunting industry's entire user-pay, sustainable use-based conservation paradigm," says the suit. "It would be catastrophic to people and wildlife to eliminate the most habitat, prey base, operating budget revenue, and community incentives. Wildlife numbers will plummet. But this will occur if Delta continues to discriminate against the cargo of U.S. hunters. Rather than celebrating the conservation contributions of U.S. tourist safari hunters, Delta is vilifying them by refusing to transport the fruits of the hunt: trophies of the prized Big Five (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard, and buffalo). Delta is treating these legally acquired trophies as if they were contraband.

"America's business, professional, and civil leaders -- many of whom are frequent fliers -- should not be lumped with traffickers (unlawful trade). The stigma will understandably affect their willingness to hunt in Africa. Because it dissuades lawful hunters, Delta's embargo jeopardizes the benefits of tourist hunting and its centrality in the conservation programs of African range states. And worse, the embargo deprives Big Five species of essential conservation funding and support."