Nation, in big move, to end profiting in captive lions
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South Africa says it will end its captive lion industry in a major move for conservation that would outlaw the heavily criticized “canned hunting” of the big cats and sale of their bones, as well as popular tourist experiences like petting cubs.
The policy, which still needs to be made into law, would effectively end the world’s legal lion bone trade. South Africa is the only country given a special dispensation by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to sell and export lion bones, claws and teeth, and they have to be from captive lions. None of those parts from wild lions can be sold or traded anywhere.
South Africa’s announcement was praised by wildlife groups that want to see the species left to live in the wild or in recognized conservation parks. They say the captive lion business in South Africa has been marked by disregard for the animals’ welfare in favor of profit.
Lions are kept in unhealthy and unethical conditions, conservationists say, and bred to ultimately be killed and their parts sold for trophies or for use in traditional medicines in Asia.
South Africa had made “a courageous decision” to end it, said Dr. Neil D’Cruze, head of wildlife research at World Animal Protection. “This is no longer viewing the animals as commodities and how you can profit from them.”
The new policy will prohibit the keeping and breeding of lions in captivity and the use of any captive lion parts for commercial purposes.
South Africa has anywhere between 8,000 and 12,000 lions in captivity, according to various figures from the government and wildlife organizations. It’s the only country doing “intense breeding of lions,” said Neil Greenwood of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Wildlife experts, while happy with the policy, foresee a complicated process of shutting down an industry that has burgeoned into a multimilliondollar operation.
Wild lion hunts are not affected and will continue, though they are strictly controlled in South Africa and only a small amount are allowed each year.