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Minister Molewa publishes the African Lion Non-Detriment Findings in the Government Gazette of 23 January 2018. ***The trophy hunting of captive-bred lions poses no threat to the wild lion population within South Africa, and it is thought that captive lions may in fact serve as a buffer to potential threats to wild lions by being the primary source of hunting trophies and derived products (such as bone).***

It is with some serious concern that we read the newly released DSC Position on Captive Bred Lion (CBL) Hunting, as released 11 January. Of course, DSC is fully entitled to take any position on any issue they deem fit, but as this specific issue has resulted in highly charged and escalated divisive debate both in and outside of the public domain recently, we would have hoped for a more considered, comprehensive and indeed leading statement from DSC

No, seriously, if you have the means, what reason on earth is there not to live at Mabalingwe? It not only has a Bushveld atmosphere, it is the Bushveld, with its curling hills studded with boulders, with its covering of Mopani and thorn trees, its hard dusty earth, and, of course its animals that seemingly come in fives: big five, small five, and as we learnt, even ugly five. Yet the Mabalingwe lifestyle is not the rough-and-tumble, can-of-the-best Bushveld thing.

Two young lions, just over three years old, have proven that conservation by means of captive breeding is possible. Critics have been up in arms for some time now about lion farms that breed lions in captivity. According to these critics, captive-bred lions have no conservation value, as it would be impossible for them to survive out in their natural habitat

SAPA and its members have increasingly become the target of malicious and deliberate attempts to portray the lion industry as unethical and those involved in this industry as bloodthirsty people without conscience. The sharpened attacks by recent television programs like Carte Blanche and BBC News and re-run of "old" footage are impeccably timed to try and sway the vote of delegates attending the CITES CoP 17 conference.

In 'n betreklik gebalanseerde artikel in die Landbou Weekblad van 29 Julie 2016 ("Namibië se jagbedryf troef SA") word die verskraling in die Suid-Afrikaanse jagbedryf bespreek en aan 'n bondel faktore toegeskryf. Oorregulering en 'n gebrek aan staatsondersteuning word genoem. Suid-Afrikaanse teelmetodes en jagpraktyke in teenstelling met die beeld van hoë etiek wat in Namibië voorgehou word, word egter as die vernaamste sondebok uitgesonder.

Trophy hunting is currently the subject of intense debate. In the European Parliament, Members have called for signing of a Written Declaration calling: "to examine the possibility of restricting all import of trophies into the EU, to ensure proper implementation of the rules by Member States, and to persuade countries that are issuing permits to trophy hunters without consideration for the impacts of trophy hunting on conservation and animal welfare to discontinue this practice".

The producers of "Blood Lions" have appropriated themselves the right to be the final arbiters as to how lions are best to be protected and conserved. If they are wrong we could very well see the day where there are once again be no differences between lions. They will all simply be – dead lions.

The Animal Justice Warriors are not happy. A video, originally posted in 2013 on Youtube, is having a second life on social media. The AJW’s clearly wishes it never even had a first life. Nor the person it features: young Danish animal lover, Mikkel Legarth. In their eyes Legarth is an apostate to their state religion, a heretic in their First Church of the Exaltation of Animal above Man

Much of the recent debate around lion management and the role of legal, well-regulated hunting in species conservation has been polarising and, in many instances, misinformed. South Africa’s species preservation track record is well known on the global stage and, thanks to a strictly regulated permit system, the Department of Environmental Affairs has been able to ensure that the trade in listed species is in the main sustainable, legal and traceable.

Much of the recent debate around lion management and the role of legal, well-regulated hunting in species conservation has been polarising and, in many instances, misinformed. South Africa’s species preservation track record is well known on the global stage and, thanks to a strictly regulated permit system, the Department of Environmental Affairs has been able to ensure that the trade in listed species is in the main sustainable, legal and traceable.

The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa has held a ground-breaking stakeholder engagement to discuss matters around lion management in South Africa; and in particular, breeding and hunting. The Minister convened the engagement to address widespread and mounting public concern around the practice of so-called 'canned hunting' of lion.

It has come under the attention of the South African Predator Association that Melissa Bachman’s posting of her hunting trophy photographs on Facebook and Twitter has drawn a huge negative response from far and wide. In South Africa a photograph showing a smiling Bachman behind her trophy lion has elicited severe criticism, as if this lion is the last nail in the coffin of the African lion as a species.