STATEMENT about the report on the colloquium on Captive Lion Breeding

Parliament, Monday, 12 November 2018

The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs adopted the Report of a two-day colloquium on Captive Lion Breeding. The colloquium on Captive Breeding of Lions for Hunting and Lion Bone Trade was held from 21 – 22 August 2018.

The practice of captive lion breeding for hunting and lion bone trade has caused much uproar against South Africa. International pro-hunting organisations excluded certain members of the cruel Lions Breeding Industry. These organisations are the SAFARI International, the Dallas Safari Club and the European International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC). The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has also raised concerns.

The DEA should put an end to this practice

The Report contains voices of representatives of local pro-hunting and conservation organisations as well as international organisations.  Many spoke against the industry. The DEA should urgently initiate a policy and legislative review of Captive Lion Breeding. The Minister of DEA should submit quarterly reports to the committee on the progress of this policy and legislative review.

The committee would like the Department to reconsider the decision to increase the lion bone trade quota. It was emerging during the Colloquium that the increase to 1500 skeletons was driven by commercial considerations. This reconsideration is necessary given the huge public sentiment expressed against the increase in the lion bone trade quota. The committee’s position is to protect South Africa’s esteemed conservation image, but more fundamentally, the Brand South Africa. 

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS, MR PHILLEMON MAPULANE.

Follow us on Facebook  –  Follow us on Twitter  –  Send us an email