This is a significant blow to the canned hunting industry.
South Africa’s defiance despite the global outrage, choosing to side with SAPA (South Africa Predator Breeders Association) in supporting the brutal industry of breeding predators for profit. South Africa’s Tourism Minister, Derek Hanekom states in Blood Lions that it’s bad for brand South Africa.
The recent outcome of CITES CoP17 had South Africa and the hunting groups pulling out all efforts to maintain this abhorrent industry, lions subsequently left at Appendix II listing despite the IUCN asking the South African Government to address canned hunting and work to closing it down by 2020. Unbelievably, CITES approved the trade in lion bones which has conservationists reeling in disbelief as supporting the continued growth of this industry, which supplements the diminishing tiger bone industry, leaves wild populations at risk – wild body parts are what consumers are wanting.
Overwhelming evidence and undercover footage exposes how pathetic these psychopaths are – shooting scared animals out of trees and warthog holes, slapping each other on the back as if they’d actually accomplished something but all they’ve done is blown the hell out of a hand reared, tame animal.
Ongoing illegal activities take place and prove how morally devoid the “hunters” and operators are, the tolerance by authorities, by SAPA and PHASA (Professional Hunters Association of South Africa) in allowing this level of behaviour in the name of “sport”.
Australia took action when then Minister of Environment, Greg Hunt announced the ban on lion trophies and body parts March 2015 creating a global first which was followed by France and the Netherlands. With up to 70% of canned hunting market being Americans, this ban has a significant impact on the lucrative market. It starts with renting out cubs which are torn from their mothers a few days after birth for tourists to “pay and play”, lion walking until they are too old and are returned to the death camps waiting to be bought online for a quick, efficient, cost effective and guaranteed kill.
Congratulations Blood Lions…this is a massive step in lion conservation. Still much to do with changing behaviour and belief surrounding “sustainable utilisation” and wildlife having to “pay it’s way”. Commoditising wildlife can never be a solution and we must find a way to let wild be wild, maintaining wilderness and habitat, keeping human consumption and greed off the table when it comes to our protecting our natural world.
http://africageographic.com/blog/usa-bans-trophy-imports-captive-south-african-lions/
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/wildlife-watch-canned-lion-hunting-trophies-banned/