Ian Michler briefed Minister Hunt on October 1 to discuss the cruel and barbaric industry of captive bred and canned hunting and how Australia is directly involved. Ian had recently returned from Switzerland and Finland where he had briefed lawmakers, NGO’s, media, politicians and the public about the same issues.

Also attending the meeting Jason Wood MP, Stephen Hartney, Roderick Campbell (Economist, Australia Institute), our Founder, Donalea Patman and Minister Hunt’s staff. The meeting was very intense and fast with Ian sharing the statistics of captive breeding and the “spin” hunters are using to con in the name of conservation. Roderick Campbell then briefed everyone with the economics around hunting and the true revenue, stating the Govt’s position is focussed and effective and a positive decision moving forward.

The Govt was also advised of how Australian volunteers and gap year students are being lured into these unscrupulous businesses believing they are participating in conservation work, learning little from the experience other than baby lions are cute to handle! Once lions have been habituated there is never an opportunity for them to be released into the wild, and if they’ve been bred in these death camps, they are usually genetically impaired which again proves there is absolutely no conservation value. Breeding wild at heart animals to live a life in captivity is cruel, often the environments so appalling and overcrowded. Ian also used the analogy that if there was true conservation work being done then why aren’t they breeding the rare Wild Dog or Ethiopian Wolf who’s numbers are critical? These reserves are breeding purely for the bullet.

One of the surprising results from the Govt’s investigations is that approximately 144 lion trophies and body parts have been brought into Australia since 2010.

Minister Hunt has pledged to have a result on the banning of lion by the end of the year, delighted at the response from stakeholders around the world in the recent call for submissions.