Lion Man loses case to clear his name
TV star’s fight against allegations of animal cruelty fails after tribunal says he’s ‘author of his own misfortune’, writes Kate Shuttleworth.
AN attempt by Lion Man Craig Busch to clear his name after a current affairs programme claimed he nearly killed a baby giraffe and dragged a lion through the bush has been thrown out by a broadcasting tribunal.
After allegations of Busch’s ill treatment of animals were shown on South African TV in July last year, he lodged a formal complaint with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), claiming the report had been unfair; that he hadn’t been given the opportunity to respond to allegations; the opposing view hadn’t been fairly presented; and that his privacy had been breached.
Busch, who now lives on a farm called the Jabula Big Cat Sanctuary near Rustenberg, north of Johannesburg, also complained that the programme’s two undercover investigators had wound up one of his lions during a walk in the bush.
The tribunal noted the Carte Blanche show had written to Busch saying its report would investigate his reputation as the Lion Man and presented 10 allegations including being reckless with the safety of lions, covering up a lion attack on one of his guests, diverting funds meant for animals to his own purposed and exhibiting violent behaviour toward women and having a criminal conviction in New Zealand.
The tribunal decided the broadcaster had made a reasonable effort to fairly present Busch’s version of the facts and said his refusal to appear on camera resulted in him missing the opportunity to present his side of the case and called him the ‘‘author of his own misfortune’’.
They also found that his privacy and dignity as a public figure had been overridden by a legitimate public interest in the fresh allegations of abusing animals.
Last night, Busch said the tribunal findings were ‘‘onesided’’ and he had refused to be interviewed unless he was provided details of the allegations against him to avoid being ‘‘ambushed on camera’’.
The programme featured several of Busch’s former workers who claimed Busch
Complainant’s refusal to appear on camera caused him to miss the opportunity to present his side of the case and he was the author of his own misfortune.’ BCCSA REPORT ON LION MAN CRAIG BUSCH
mistreated his animals, and had nearly killed a baby giraffe called Zenda while filming a segment for his show that aired on the Animal Planet channel.
When approached by Fairfax NZ last year after the screening Busch denied abusing animals saying it was a renewed ‘‘smear campaign’’. And last night he renewed his claims of ‘‘coordinated character assassination’’ saying his Facebook page had been hacked and he would appeal the BCCSA decision.
‘‘It took the narrow view of my decision to hold out for disclosure of the allegations against me, and I believe this coloured the outcome strongly. What has been done to me is a travesty.’’
Busch became well known as the Lion Man in New Zealand through his television series in 2004 based out of Whangarei’s Zion Wildlife Gardens.
More than a decade on, he’s been involved in a protracted legal battle with his mother Patricia Busch over control for the park.