Non-Governmental Organisations:
CACH (Campaign against Canned Hunting): http://www.cannedlion.org
Interview with Chris Mercer from CACH:
Four Paws: http://www.four-paws.org.uk
Blood Lions: http://www.bloodlions.org
Born Free: http://www.bornfree.org.uk
Recent (Social) Media Coverage:
Daily Maverick (30.03.2024): Cabinet has agreed to end the controversial captive breeding of lions and rhinos. It approved a Policy Position submitted by Environment Minister Barbara Creecy to close lion facilities and end commercial exploitation of lions and ‘canned’ hunts. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-03-30-cabinet-approves-end-to-captive-breeding-of-lions-and-rhinos/
Humane Society of the United States (18/01/2019): “In contradiction of its own policy against canned lion hunting – shooting captive-bred lions trapped in an enclosure with nowhere to hide – Safari Club International (SCI) allowed numerous vendors to market such canned hunts at the convention. SCI had announced the policy last year after lion scientists and conservationists widely condemned such hunts.” https://blog.humanesociety.org/2019/01/at-safari-club-convention-vendors-peddle-canned-lion-hunts-elephant-and-hippo-body-parts.html
Environment News Service (10.01.2019): South Africa’s new Minister of Environmental Affairs Nomvula Mokonyane says the agency will appoint a high-level panel to review policies and legislation on matters related to elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros handling, management, breeding, hunting and trade.One of the panel’s mandates pertains to the captive lion breeding industry, and a need to “harmonise sustainable use with strictly controlled legal international trade and monitoring.” http://ens-newswire.com/2019/01/10/high-level-panel-to-review-south-africas-lion-bone-trade/
Daily Maverick (17.08.2018): According to a scientific report about to be released by the South African Institute of International Affairs, The Economics of Captive Predator Breeding in South Africa, the burgeoning lion bone trade, canned lion hunting, cub petting and “voluntourism” are doing escalating damage to the image of South Africa as a tourism destination. https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-08-17-lion-bones-and-predator-farming-picking-on-the-carcass-of-sa-tourism/
IOL (25.07.2018): At least 600 cheetahs are kept in captivity in South African tourism facilities, offering interactions and cub petting in the name of conservation and education. https://www.iol.co.za/ios/opinion/cheetah-cub-petting-is-simply-a-selfie-opportunity-16227651
Main image courtesy of Chelui4lions, images below courtesy of Stichting SPOTS and Sarah Dyer
Lion Petting.com 