SOUTH AFRICAN DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS (DEA), UNDER UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK, REFUSES A MEETING WITH 29 ORGANIZATIONS
“SKYE the lion, this is how habituated to humans he was. – Photo credit by Charlie Lynam”
The South African Department of Environmental Affairs is facing a barrage of bad press over the trophy hunting of an iconic pride male lion, Skye, who has not been seen since the controversial baited hunt took place in June; the department is blamed also for its very controversial trading policies, including the approval of a recent export quota for lion skeletons. DEA refused to take possession of a petition signed by 135,000 people, as well as a letter signed by 29 organizations accompanied by an extensive Report: “THE CONTROVERSIAL LION HUNT IN UMBABAT- SOUTH AFRICA -” (Click on the pic below to read),
“SKYE – Report. Front cover by Charlie Lynam”
calling for an investigation into the trophy hunting of Skye on the border of the Kruger National Park. The petition and accompanying documents were then delivered by email to all government recipients in Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
Thirty different roaring articles have been published in thirty days, quite a record of information, discussions and accusations around what has been called ‘the very exploitative policy of the South African government’. One of the responses to South Africa’s lion bone trade was s the hacking of several government websites, including The Presidency and the Department of Environmental Affairs. Skye was worth over R100 000 000 in tourism revenue for the country but instead the South African conservation authorities have allowed him to be killed just so a few rich people can be richer and so that an American hunter can boast that he took the life of a Kruger lion.
“30 articles in 30 days”
“The Extintion Business”- Report. by EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading”
has been released by EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading, exposing and condemning the cruel business of breeding and slaughtering lions and exporting their skeletons to Southeast Asia, for the production of fake tiger bone wine. The report has shown how multiple skeletons can be exported under the guise of one skeleton. It also clearly indicated how this consumptive and unethical business is damaging Brand South Africa irreversibly. Apart from animal protection organizations and the global public, The Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa has also publicly condemned the intensive breeding, slaughtering and dismembering of Africa’s most majestic symbol, describing it as “abhorrent”.