Captive Lion Breeding to be Cancelled in South Africa.
In an unprecedented landmark move, Minister Barbara Creecy today revealed that the Captive Lion Breeding Industry will be shut down. Minister Creecy's Statement was delivered in response to a 582-page High Level Report from a Panel of Experts dissecting all aspects of Wildlife Management in certain sectors.
As one of South Africa's most iconic species, Wild Lions are plagued by habitat-loss and diminishing numbers, and the captive breeding industry did nothing to alleviate their plight.
#WHWF welcomes the proposed phasing out of Captive Lion Breeding, and as a result, enforcing better protection for the Wild Lions that evoke such strong emotions among Wildlife Lovers.
"While we understand that it will take time to phase out the Industry, we are overjoyed at the prospect of Captive Lion Breeding being outlawed and cancelled completely" said Paul Oxton, Founder of Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation.
The Captive Lion Breeding Industry has been the thorn in the side of many a Conservationist for at least 3 decades. An industry that generates so much money for the breeders and exploiters, that it seemed impossible to rectify from a purely economical standpoint.
"This shameful exploitative industry has been supplying never-ending streams of lion cubs to pet, feed, and walk - to unsuspecting Tourists falling into this deceitful trap of greed", Said Carina Crayton (aka CJ Carrington), Co-Founder of Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation.
Only in the past twelve years or so have people been awakened to the fact that these cute cubs they are petting, end up in a trophy hunt when their usefulness has expired, and then their bones, teeth, claws and skin get sold as replacement for tiger bone wine in the East.
Minister Creecy stated: “The Panel identified that the captive lion industry poses risks to the sustainability of wild lion conservation resulting from the negative impact on ecotourism which funds lion conservation and conservation more broadly, and the risk that trade in lion parts poses to stimulating poaching and illegal trade. The panel recommends that South Africa does not captive-breed lions, keep lions in captivity, or use captive lions or their derivatives commercially. I have requested the department to action this accordingly and ensure that the necessary consultation in implementation is conducted.”
Read more at:
https://www.wildheartwildlifefoundation.org/captive-lion-breeding-to-be-cancelled/
#WHWF #EthicalConservation #StopCannedHunting #WildHeart
