Campaigners urge government to act on 2024 pledge to end South Africa’s captive lion industry

Animal welfare and conservation groups have called on government to move from promise to practice and implement its 2024 commitment to phase out South Africa’s commercial captive lion industry.

Campaigners outline steps to end breeding and trade

At a conference held on World Lion Day, Four Paws South Africa, Humane World for Animals South Africa, Voice4Lions and Blood Lions set out what they said were the practical steps needed to ensure that the current captive population is the last generation bred for commercial exploitation.

Years of recommendations, little implementation

Blood Lions’ Louise de Waal said the industry attracted parliamentary attention in 2018, when the portfolio committee for environmental affairs recommended it be shut down. That review led former environment minister Barbara Creecy to form a high-level panel. In 2020, a panel of about 20 experts compiled a report that was approved by Cabinet and the National Assembly.

De Waal said the majority of recommendations were “to reverse the domestication of our captive lions and immediately halt the sale of captive lions.” She noted that in April 2024 Creecy gazetted the Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros, and that it had been through due processes but was awaiting propagation on the current minister’s desk before ministers were reshuffled.

Industry still operating despite commitments

Four Paws director Fiona Miles said there was a gap between policy intention and reality: “Government has committed to phasing out the industry, yet captive lion breeding remains legal and the industry remains largely operational.” She added that “closing that gap is now a critical challenge, because until policy commitments are translated into implementation, lions will continue to be born into an industry that government itself has recognised does not form part of SA’s future wildlife vision.”

Thousands of lions remain vulnerable

Voice4Lions’ Linda Park emphasised that despite Creecy’s announcement, the industry remains fully legal. She said: “Since November last year, no progress has been made towards implementing the necessary policy changes to bring this commitment into effect. This has left about 8 000 lions vulnerable to continued breeding and commercial exploitation.”

Calls for decisive ministerial action

Blood Lions’ Stephanie Klarmann said government had an opportunity to show leadership in animal welfare and biodiversity governance by turning its commitment into action.

Humane World for Animals’ Matthew Schurch called on current Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment David Maynier to continue the process of ending the captive lion breeding industry by prohibiting the establishment of new captive lion breeding facilities and prohibiting the breeding of captive lions. He said: “These measures would send a clear signal that SA is committed to a new approach to the management of captive wildlife.”

Schurch added that the coalition “remains committed to working collaboratively with the minister, his department, stakeholders and the public to achieve a responsible, science-based and humane transition away from the commercial captive lion industry.”

What campaigners want next

• Implementation of the 2024 policy commitments
• Prohibition on new captive lion breeding facilities
• Prohibition on the breeding of captive lions
• Collaborative, science-based transition planning involving government and stakeholders

Campaigners said urgent action is needed to ensure that years of consultation, recommendations and government commitments result in tangible change for lions.