A brand-new report by World Animal Protection information the scary of South Africa’s inhumane lion farming market and its ties to worldwide criminal offense distributes.
World Animal Protection is today contacting the South African Government to wait its dedication to close down the nation’s terrible industrial captive lion breeding market for good.
The worldwide NGO has actually received proof from confidential sources on uncontrolled “off grid” lion farms who explained inconceivable animal suffering. They likewise detailed how the centers are utilizing South Africa’s legal lion breeding and ‘canned’ hunting market to cover their participation in the prohibited worldwide export of lion bones for usage in conventional Asian medication.
Their collected proof consists of:
- Lions kept in decrepit, dirty, and barren enclosures cluttered with old food carcasses and stacks of faeces.
- Lions and tigers butchered and processed on-site, with approximately 4 animals processed by each labourer daily at both centers throughout hectic durations.
- Lions significantly ignored and starved to save farm owners money – leading to circumstances of lion cannibalism, consisting of how frantically starving lions assaulted and consumed another adult lion at a center.
- Inhumane and unclean massacre procedures, with lions’ entrails overflowed the flooring, and skin peeled back from their paws and skulls.
- Low paid farm staff operating in risky conditions without protective equipment and at high threat of suffering a mishap or being contaminated with zoonotic illness.
World Animal Protection’s Global Head of Wildlife Research, Dr. Neil D’Cruze, said: “Even as experienced researchers, we were deeply disturbed by the cruel practices taking place. It is sickening to see these majestic mammals reduced to mere commodities kept in merciless conditions.”
Although the industrial captive breeding and canned hunting of lions stays legal, though badly managed in South Africa, the export of lion skeletons – consisting of claws and teeth – was stated unconstitutional by the South African High Court in 2019.
In 2021, the South African Government announced its intent to instantly stop the “domestication and exploitation of lions, and to ultimately close all captive lion facilities in South Africa”.
But in late 2022, the federal government backtracked on its dedication and advised a Ministerial Task Team to “develop and implement a voluntary exit strategy and pathways for captive lion facilities”.
Lack of enforcement of policies and clearness on the future of the market, has actually left a legal grey location, making it possible for some farms to run what on the surface area seem genuine captive lion breeding and ‘canned’ prize hunting businesses – however which in reality supply the prohibited worldwide huge cat bone trade helped with by organised criminal offense gangs.
While the skins, paws and skulls are turned over to the canned hunters as valued prizes, the skeletons are delegated dry in the sun, packaged and offered to “Asian buyers who regularly visit” the off-grid breeding farms.
Dr. Neil D’Cruze continued: “This new intelligence gathered by brave sources confirms what was previously suspected – these well-established legal operations are plugged secretly into unethical practices and an illicit international trade network.”
According to sources – whose identities World Animal Protection and regional partner NGO Blood Lions are safeguarding – staff and their households are consistently threatened with violence to preserve their silence about the cruelty and prohibited bone trade.
You can check out the complete report : Putting a stop to cruelty: why South Africa´s commercial captive lion industry should be shut down for good report here.
It is approximated that in between 8,000-12,000 lions and other huge cats, consisting of tigers, are reproduced and kept in captivity in more than 350 centers throughout the nation.
Dr. Neil D’Cruze included: “A voluntary stage out of the market alone won’t suffice to stop the industrial exploitation of captive lions in South Africa. We now understand some off grid lion farms go to excellent lengths to prevent detection.
“Facilities use various tactics like security cameras, patrols and messaging apps to avoid detection during inspections to conceal illegal activities.”
Dr. Louise de Waal, Director, and Campaign Manager of Blood Lions said: “We urge the South African government to make good on their 2021 decision and bring a mandatory time-bound end to the commercial captive lion industry, which will make detecting and preventing the illegal trade easier at the same time. Only then our reputation as a leader in conservation be restored, and the welfare of the country’s captive lions and other big cats ensured.”
World Animal Protection and Blood Lions have actually handed their findings to the South African Government.
South African people are motivated to include their voice and contact the South Africa Government to phase out the captive lion breeding market by registering their assistance at https://www.pridenotcruelty.co.za/. We likewise encourage travelers and visitors to prevent locations and tourist attractions that cruelly make use of lions and other huge cats for home entertainment, such as cub petting and walking with lions.
