South Africa’s Cabinet has recently approved a revised Policy Position to halt the country’s captive lion industry, which has threatened its reputation as a leader in the conservation of wildlife and as a destination with iconic wild lions.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) latest revised Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros, said the intensive breeding of lions in controlled environments, and the commercial exploitation of captive or captive-bred lions had negatively affected their iconic status.
“Although some operators may implement acceptable standards of welfare, there are major animal welfare contraventions in the industry in general,” the DFFE said.
The objective of the latest policy is to end the captive keeping of lions for commercial purposes and close captive lion facilities, put a halt to the intensive breeding of lions in controlled environments, and end the…