Blood Lions revealed that the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs had released its report calling for a ban on captive lion breeding in South Africa. At the same time, Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) has called on South African travel companies to help prevent wildlife abuse following a new report by ‘World Animal Protection’, stating that 550 000 captive wild animals worldwide are still enduring cruelty for tourism entertainment.
The report, Associated with Cruelty – based on research conducted by Professor Xavier Font of the University of Surrey – reports that only six out of 62 travel trade associations worldwide provide information on the importance of animal welfare. The Association of British travel Agents (ABTA) and the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (ANVR) are the only travel associations to have animal welfare guidelines. By contrast, 16 associations feature pictures in their literature of wild animals being used as tourist attractions and interacting with tourists.
FTT developed Captive Wildlife Guidelines earlier this year in consultation with 200 organisations to tackle specific issues around captive wildlife in SA. “In South Africa alone, there are 8 000 lions in captivity versus 4 000 free-roaming wild or managed lions – this is an industry that is rife with animal welfare issues and doing tremendous harm to Brand South Africa,” said FTT MD, Jane Edge.
Edge mentioned that there were genuine wildlife sanctuaries, rehabilitation centres and orphanages that were doing good and deserved support. “However, it is not always easy to discern between the good, the bad and the ugly. We urge tour operators to use our guidelines to interrogate the practices of wildlife facilities based on the core pillars of animal welfare, conservation, human safety and transparency. We need to stop supporting captive facilities that demonstrate poor practice and animal abuse,” said Edge.
Following the recent Parliamentary Colloquium entitled ‘Captive Lion Breeding for Hunting in South Africa: Harming or Promoting the Conservation Image of the Country’, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs released its report, which calls for the ban on captive lion breeding in SA.
In light of this, Blood Lions has commended Mohlopi Philemon Mapulane and members of the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs on the findings and resolutions.
In an official statement, Blood Lions said: “This is an important day for Blood Lions and all those who have been fighting against the captive lion breeding industry in South Africa. After some years in production, Blood Lions launched the feature documentary film and global campaign to end all exploitative predator practices in 2015. Since then, and together with a number of our partners in South Africa and around the world, we have fought hard to expose the horrors that comprise the commercial exploitation of Africa's most iconic species. Blood Lions acknowledges the immense work being done by so many across the conservation, tourism and welfare sectors. While this is a small victory for everyone involved, we also understand that much work still lies ahead. In this regard, we thank the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs for their immense efforts to date, and urge them to continue this process until the brutality ends.”
“We need to unite as an industry and start developing South Africa as a leading responsible wildlife tourism destination,” concluded Edge.
To access the summary of findings from the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs, click here.
Edge presented on a panel entitled ‘Wildlife: animal welfare and conservation’ last week at WTM London with Font. For a copy of FTT’s presentation or Captive Wildlife Guidelines, email Shona Macdonald at shona@fairtrade.travel.
