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Shuttering commercial lion industry, as Dion George wants, will devastate lion populations, rural livelihoods, and SA’s conservation legacy

The South African Government’s latest moves to shut down the commercial lion industry, veiled as a conservation effort, have sparked outrage.

DFFE MEDIA RELEASE: ‘Call for Public comment following the publication of the draft notice prohibiting certain activities involving African Lion (panthera leo).’

Socio-economic impact assessment_Lion Activities Prohibition.

Lion Activities Prohibition

A crowd rallied at the Colorado State Capitol Friday to speak out against a ballot measure that represents an existential threat to regulated hunting and sound wildlife science

The Department of Agriculture and the Directorate of Animal Health are concerned about reports of sales agents from various agricultural companies visiting farms within and outside the Disease Management Area (DMA) amidst the ongoing Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak.

WRSA has submitted written demands via our counsel, urging Minister Creecy to take immediate action in lawfully determining and publishing the annual CITES quotas for African Elephants, Black Rhinoceroses, and Leopards.

South Africa, renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity and high levels of endemism, shoulders the responsibility of conserving and sustainably managing its wildlife for the benefit of all its citizens and future generations.

I have today, released the report of the Ministerial Task Team on Voluntary Exit Options and Pathways from the Captive Lion Industry. Cabinet has approved the release of the report and its recommendations for implementation.

Early this week news broke in the media about lions roaming around the Fochville area. Some alleged that there were 5 lions on the loose, leaving a trail of destruction and terror in their wake. Predictably, the captive lion industry was slammed and blamed for the presence of these extremely dangerous, supposedly escaped animals.

The South African Predator Association is delighted to take note of recent video footage confirming the birth of wild lion cubs produced by parents born and raised in captivity. Three short videos have been recorded on cell-phone by a ranger of The Reserve where the lions had been released on 14 December 2016

The SOUTH AFRICAN PREDATOR ASSOCIATION fully supports the minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, in her decision to establish a quota for the exporting of captive-bred lion bones to Asia and other regions. The decision followed a thorough, transparent and scientific process and was made in accordance with a CITES resolution made at the COP 17 in 2016. SAPA lauds the minister for unflinchingly following through with the decision to announce the quota

It is with great sadness that SAPA learned of the poaching of two lions in the Emoya sanctuary. This is an abomination that should never have happened.

An animal dying of poison suffers a horrifying death. Arteries and veins rupture, blood becomes slush, organs send distress signals in the form of intense flashes of pain, nausea rises like a tide… it is a death many times worse than being struck by a heavy, hurtling bullet; or a crossbow bolt as was the case with Cecil the Lion.

The South African Predator Association learnt with alarm about the attack by a male lion on an 11-year-old boy in the Lephalale-district over the weekend. The boy, Kristian Prinsloo, is currently still in a critical condition in a hospital in Pretoria. SAPA extends its sympathy and support to Kristian and his family and joins them in fervently hoping for his rapid recovery from injury

According to recent reports the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has temporarily closed down an abattoir which contravened provincial regulations by butchering donkeys in a facility designed to slaughter cattle, sheep and goats in the Tosca district of Northwest Province. This abattoir is reportedly on a "lion farm."

During the recent Conference of the Parties, COP 17, CITES granted South Africa the opportunity to establish an export quota for the bones of captive bred lions. The much-maligned Department of Environmental Affairs immediately set about determining what the extent of this quota should be in a thorough, measured manner. They have yet to furnish a definitive answer. Yet, animal rights activists have responded with a huge measure of hysteria in a number of published articles

The South African Predator Association(SAPA) has taken note of a press release ("HUNTERS ASSOCIATION TO DEFEND ITS DECISION ON CAPTIVE-BRED LIONS- NEWS24") issued by the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa (PHASA). SAPA is of the opinion that some people may find the choice of words in the title of PHASA’s press release somewhat misleading. SAPA wishes to make it clear that it had no participation in any court proceedings.