WILDLIFE ANIMAL PROTECTION FORUM OF SOUTH AFRICA OPEN LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE LEADERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE
SOUTH AFRICA’S CAPTIVE LION INDUSTRY
WILDLIFE ANIMAL PROTECTION FORUM OF SOUTH AFRICA OPEN LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE LEADERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE
The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa is an alliance of twenty-four South African organisations that share certain values, knowledge and objectives and who collectively contribute to a body of expertise from the scientific, conservation, legal, welfare, rights, social and climate justice and public advocacy sectors.
The undersigned Members of WAPFSA and their colleagues in wildlife conservation hereby extend their congratulations and offer their official gratitude to the Democratic Alliance for their forward-thinking decision to adopt a policy resolution against the practice of captive or canned lion hunting, the breeding of lions for the intent of canned lion hunting and the breeding of lions for the sale of their bones and other derivatives.
Five years ago, in 2018, the 5th Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Affairs adopted a Report compiled during a two-day Colloquium on Captive Lion Breeding for Hunting in South Africa: Harming or Promoting the Conservation Image of the Country.
The Colloquium achieved an exceptionally high turnout, drawing speakers and participants from the captive lion breeding industry, hunting associations, conservation and animal protection organisations and the government.
Two members of WAPFSA presented the results of an eighteen-month investigation into the captive lion industry published in a Report titled: The Extinction Business: South Africa’s Lion Bone Trade.
According to the Report of the Portfolio Committee, which was later adopted by Parliament, there was a predominant view that the captive lion breeding industry did not contribute to conservation and was doing damage to South Africa’s conservation and tourism reputation.
The captive breeding of lions for hunting and lion bone trade came under severe criticism from both local and international conservation organisations for harming South Africa’s well-established and highly respected conservation image.
The then Portfolio Chairperson, Honourable Mr Philemon Mapulane, remarked that although South Africa is in favour of sustainable use of biodiversity resources, South Africa finds itself increasingly isolated at important international conservation platforms as a result of the captive lion industry. It seems as if South Africa’s conservation reputation is being compromised by this practice which does not seem to benefit the broader conservation, but a small number of breeders without proper scientific or conservation basis. Parliament, he warned must become particularly concerned when reputable conservation agencies such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature turn their backs and deplore these practices.
In May 2021 a Press Release, issued by the Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr Fikile Xasa, stated that the Portfolio Committee welcomes the announcement made by the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, that South Africa plans to ban the breeding of lions in captivity for trophy hunting or for tourists to pet.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Fikile Xasa said: “It was indeed satisfying to have attended the launch of the Report of the High-Level Panel that agreed with our parliamentary resolution to consider banning this destructive practice for the greater public good, our conservation brand and the dependant tourism industry. As public representatives, we feel our people have been heard.”
We are relying upon the Democratic Alliance to continue to be a strong voice in order to strengthen the enforcement of the closure of this abhorrent industry in order to save and preserve South Africa’s conservation reputation and to preserve lion populations in the wild for future generations.
SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE WILDLIFE ANIMAL PROTECTION FORUM SOUTH AFRICA AND COLLEAGUES IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION:
Mr Henry Smith, MP Crawley Constituency House of Commons, London
Will Travers OBE, Co-Founder and Executive President Born Free Foundation
Richard Peirce, Author “Cuddle Me, Kill Me”, Investigator “Lions, Bones & Bullets”
Eduardo Goncalves, Founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting
John Read, International Director Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting
Daniela Freyer, Co-Founder Pro Wildlife e.V.
Dr Barbara Maas, Founder and Chief Executive, People for Nature and Peace
Sairusha Govindsamy, Climate Program, African Climate Alliance, South Africa
Dave Du Toit, Founder, Vervet Monkey Foundation, South Africa
Fiona Miles, Director, Four Paws (SA)
Jabu Myeni, Env, Education Programme, Gifted for Good, South Africa
Les Mitchell, Director, Institute for Critical Animal Studies (Africa)
Lex Abnett, Director, Southern African Fight for Rhinos, South Africa
Linda Tucker, CEO Founder, Global White Lion Protection Trust, South Africa
Lizaene Cornwall and Catherine Nyquist, Co-Founders, Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary, South Africa Megan Carr, Founder, Rhinos in Africa, South Africa
Michele Pickover, Executive Director, EMS Foundation, South Africa
Renee Bish and Peter Oxford, Co-Founders, Betty’s Bay Baboon Action Group, South Africa
Sera Farista, Climate Justice Campaigner, Youth Climate Group, South Africa
Smaragda Louw, Director, Ban Animal Trading, South Africa
Stefania Falcon, Co-Founder, Future 4 Wildlife, Africa
Stephen Fritz, Indigenous Leader, South Peninsula Khoi Council, South Africa
Stephen Munro, Director, Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education, South Africa
Steve Smit, Co-Founder, Monkey Helpline, South Africa
Toni Brockhoven, Chairperson, Beauty Without Cruelty (South Africa)
Vivien Law, Regenerative Farming Program, Parliament for the People, South Africa
Wynter Worsthorne, Founder of Animal Talk Africa, South Africa
Image Credit: EMS Foundation
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