AFTER pressure from environmental groups, South Africa has announced it will phase out commercial captive lion breeding.
Between 8,000 and 12,000 lions are currently in 350 facilities throughout South Africa.
Frequently, the lions are used for cub petting operations when they’re young. As they get older, they are used for breeding or in ‘canned hunts,’ and their bones are traded and sold.
A 25-person panel recommended stopping these practices, beginning with denying new permits and revoking old permits for these businesses.
The panel also recommended that current lion bone stockpiles be destroyed, and lions in captivity should be humanely euthanized (as they would be unlikely to survive in the wild). While some business owners oppose the decision, animal rights groups are celebrating.
Organizations such as World Animal Protection and Blood Lions submitted information for the panel’s review in 2020, citing reasons like the risk of zoonosis, animal welfare, and lack of industry regulation.
In addition, the legal farming and trading of bones increases global demand and incentivizes poachers to kill wild animals, so activists are hoping that this will protect wild lions.
Barbara Creecy, the minister of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs, said the phase out is to protect South Africa’s reputation for responsible ecotourism and authentic wild hunting, and boost the ecotourism funds going into conservation.
The recommendations still need to be passed into law by the South African parliament, but they already appear to have government support.
- NowthisNews
