Blood Lions Reveals That 19 Lions Were Shot In South Africa Last Week; Will 80 More Be Next?

South Africa is considered to be one of the top destinations for trophy hunting of captive-bred lions, and sadly, is the world’s largest legal exporter of lion bones and skeletons.

Horrifically, there are currently are an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 lions held in captivity in more than 200 breeding facilities across the country.

According to Africa Geographic, the country’s commercial lion breeding and canned hunting industries have grown substantially over the years, “and with links to wildlife trafficking, there is a cause for concern.”

It reported that “recent scientific papers show that between 2008 and 2015, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) issued permits for the export of more than 5,363 lion skeletons, nearly 98% of which went to Laos and Vietnam – central hubs for illegal wildlife trafficking. In 2017, the DEA approved an export quota of 800 lion skeletons from captive-bred lions.”

This is cause for more than concern and Blood Lions took to Facebook yesterday to remind everyone how serious a problem this is!

“Are over 80 lions about to be shot in South Africa for the lion bone trade? the organization questioned on its Facebook page. “As the reality of South Africa’s lion bone quota takes effect, lions from all over the country are likely to be moved onto farms that act as collection points. And this may well be going down in the Free State of Africa right now on a farm not that far from Bloemfontein.”

The organization revealed in its alarming post that, according to sources, 19 lions were shot this past week.

Permits for more than 80 more lions were reportedly offered for killing next week, though, according to the post, those permits were apparently granted under euthanasia clauses but the 19 lions were shot with a rifle; causing the new permits to be temporarily put on hold while the procedural disputes within the provincial offices are worked out.

“From the outset, Blood Lions has opposed the issuing of a lion bone quota on a number of grounds, not least of which was that it was being done without any science to support the quota,” the post continued. “We are also concerned that, contrary to claims from government and the breeders and canned hunting operators that the lion bone industry is a by-product of canned hunting, the quota may well become one of the primary drivers of the breeding. It is possible that canned hunting will become a by-product of the bone industry.”

“The brutal reality here is that South Africa is already farming lions under industrial conditions, and those involved are well on the way to domesticating the species,” the organization concluded on its post before issuing an immediate call to action.

Send your letters and comments against the inhumane commercial breeding and hunting of lions in South Africa to its Free State Permit offices: bonakele.mayekiso@dha.gov.za and nel@detea.fs.gov.za and tauk@detea.fs.gov.za.

There should be no permits. There should be no captive lions. There should be no lion hunting. There should be no lion trade.

WHAT THERE SHOULD BE, IS SERIOUS ACTION TAKEN NOW TO END THIS BARBARIC TRAVESTY FROM CONTINUING TO TAKE PLACE. EVER!