The South African Government has approved a yearly export quota for 800 lion skeletons to trade from South Africa to Asia, starting from 2017 and renewable in 2018.
Every year 800 lions will be killed and taken from the shameful captive breeding industry. This is a way to feed this private industry and business which are in decline due to public opposition.
Several studies suggest that any trade linked to lion farming negatively impacts on the declining wild lion population. In fact, how can lion bones from captive lions be distinguished from those of wild lions and what processes need to be in place to prevent leakage from illegal sources to legal ones? Is the SA State in possess of adequate studies to confirm that this trade will not be detrimental for the wild lion population as requested at the CITES 17 for all species listed in Appendix II, Article IV?
We are afraid there are not sufficient rules in place to avoid wild lion bones to be mistaken and trafficked instead of captive lion bones.
We are afraid DEA has insufficient data on how the industry operates, who the breeders, bone traders are, how many lions are in the industry and how many “facilities” there are. The industry would be, in essence, left free to operate and the threat for the lion wild population, in this conditions is HUGE.
We fear the ethic and the corruption in the system of the lion captive breeding facilities.
We are aware this kind of farming doesn’t respect the Animal Welfare standards.
We are aware the State is currently not in possess of adequate studies to confirm the trade will not be detrimental for the wild lion population. These studies should also indicate how to safely proceed with strategies and rules to regulate the trade and captive lion farming. This was formally requested at the CITES 17: Export Permit Shall only be granted for Appendix II species when a scientific authority of the State will advise that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species.
We ask CITES AND IUCN to investigate on which data has the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, determined such quota.
References and Press:
Article . Traveller 24 News: South African Public, No Time To Contest http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/Green/sa-public-has-no-time-to-contest-annual-quota-of-800-lions-bones-20170130
Article . Centre for Environmental Rights: Effects of the proposed Lion Bone Export Quota http://cer.org.za/news/many-questions-about-deas-proposed-captive-lion-bone-export-quota
Article . National Geographic: South Africa’s Lion Bone Trade Disastrous for Wild Tiger Population http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/25/south-africas-lion-bone-trade-disastrous-for-wild-tigers/
Article . Africa News Network: Uproar at SA’s plan to export lion bones for tiger wine http://www.ann7.com/uproar-at-sas-plan-to-export-lion-bones-for-tiger-wine/
Article . Africa Geographic: A decision Under Fire http://africageographic.com/blog/sanbi-institutes-export-quota-for-800-captive-bred-lion-skeletons/
Article . Diamond Trust Bank: Bone Trade Unspeakably Cruel http://www.coastweek.com/4003-In-South-Africa-800-lions-for-controversial-canned-hunting-industry.htm
Article . The London Economic: Heinous trade threatens beleaguered wild lions http://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/south-africa-approve-international-trade-800-lions-controversial-canned-hunting-industry/24/01/
Article . SABC: DEA Making a Grave Error http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/13f746804fe0979bbf34bfb6fc9b345f/Zero-confidence-in-SA%E2%80%99s-lion-farming–&-lion-bone-trade-20172901Zero-confidence-in-SA%E2%80%99s-lion-farming–&-lion-bone-trade-20172901
Article . Traveller 24 News: Export, misguided and shameful http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/Green/shockwildlifetruths-call-to-stop-legal-exporting-of-800-captive-bred-lion-skeletons-20170120
Article . Express UK: Fury over Lion Export Quota from SA http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/756774/lion-skeletons-far-east-conservationists-medicines-south-africa
Article . IOL News: No regulations in the Captive Lion Industry, No Control in the Bone Trade http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/plan-for-export-of-800-lion-skeletons-7501240
Article . WA News: South Africa`s Lion Bone Export http://worldanimalnews.com/south-africa-intends-export-800-lion-skeletons-sourced-canned-hunting-industry/
Article . One GP Org: Export Quota Spells Disaster http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/south-africas-lion-skeleton-quota/
Article . MRCVS UK: South African Export Quota could threaten Wild Lions http://mrcvs.co.uk/en/news/15398/South-African-export-quota-‘could-threaten-wild-lions’
Article . The Dodo: Condition of Lions in South African Lion Breeding Facilities: No regulation https://www.thedodo.com/starving-lions-south-africa-1919508535.html
Article . Humane Society International: Lion Bone Export Quota under Fire http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2017/01/south-africa-lion-skeleton-exports-011917.html
Article . Daily Tourism Update: Under Fire: The conditions to establish Export Quota are not clear http://www.tourismupdate.co.za/article/118312/South-Africa-s-lion-bone-export-quota-under-fire
Article . CP Animal Advocacy: The Lion Bone Trade http://cecilspridenews.com/index.php/2017/01/27/800-skeletons-captive-produced-lion-bone-trade-quota-system/
Article . East Coast Radio: Warning SA Quota will affect Wild Population https://www.ecr.co.za/news/news/sa-warned-over-export-of-lion-skeletons/
Article . Environmental Investigation: Detrimental for Wild Lion and Tiger Population https://eia-international.org/south-africas-lion-bone-trade-disastrous-for-wild-tigers
Article . Humane Society Org: How is South Africa Cashing Up http://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2017/01/south-africas-lion-hunting-industry-wants-start-global-trade-lion-bones.html
Article: Blood Lions: A request for Zero Quota https://www.facebook.com/notes/blood-lions/press-release-hsiblood-lions-joint-statement-regarding-800-lion-skeleton-export-/1183955228385505
Article . Conservation Action Trust: SAs Export Plan https://conservationaction.co.za/media-articles/sas-plan-export-800-lion-skeletons-misguided-shameful/
Petitions colleting comments from the public, nationally and internationally:
Humane Society International https://action.hsi.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=62370&ea.tracking.id=sharefb
Care2: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/959/052/321/we-object-to-the-south-african-dea-proposed-lion-bone-quota/?taf_id=33126256&cid=fb_na#bbfb=428088305
Change Org: https://forcechange.com/165135/stop-killing-lions-and-exporting-their-bones/
Poll: http://focusingonwildlife.com/news/poll-should-the-trade-in-captive-lions-and-their-bones-be-stopped/