Month: August 2016

Cape Town – The road to hell may be paved with good intentions. But in SA, with the current canned lion crisis, there is no excuse to be ignorant anymore.

You might view it as an innocent interaction… a fun, family-friendly activity where you can teach your kids about SA’s wildlife.

You can even believe the organisations that say they doing it in aid of conservation. But do not be fooled – petting a lion cub directly leads to its canned killing later on.

That’s why lion conservation campaign Blood Lions urges visitors, tourist, volunteers and businesses in SA to ask the right questions about conservation.

“There are only a handful of authentic wildlife sanctuaries in South Africa and they do not BREED, TRADE (they mostly receive animals rather than going out to acquire them) or INTERACT with the animals in any way,” warns Blood Lions conservationists.

Parks that allow these activities are typically ones that supplies grown-up lions for canned hunting.

If you’d like to make an educated and informed choice, these are some of the questions to ask at a predator facility:

1. Do they offer any activities based on animal and human interaction? If yes, then why?

2. If it claims to be a sanctuary, do they offer life-long care for the animals?

3. Are they trading in animals?

4. Where did all the animals come from and where do some of them go?

5. Who is their recognised predator ecologist or scientist?

6. Have any of their animals been released into the wild? And if so, where and when?

The only way to ensure lion cub petting – and canned hunting – is stopped, is to stop the demand for the ‘product’.

This issue was once again highlighted earlier in August when the Joburg Lion Park backtracked ona decision to stop lion cub petting at their new sanctuary, after saying they would stop the practice for good.

Lion Park General Manager Whin Booyens said, “We had every intention running the new park without cub petting and we tried to replace this with other activities. Unfortunately, this led to a dramatic and unexpected drop in the number of visitors and tour operators.”

It’s a case of, ‘we can’t beat them so we’ll join them until it all gets banned’. And that would only happen if demand from the general public stopped.

 

ALLOW me to exercise one of my goldplated constitutional freedoms, the one to disagree with popular opinions.

Are we sitting.comfortably? No sharp objects in reach? Good. I think, no, not just think, I strongly believe that the Olympics would be a better spectacle for the tv audience if all the drug rules were abandoned.

Instead, let the performers because that is what they really are consume whatever it takes to jump higher, run faster, or chuck pointy javelins further. I concede that this requires a bit of ethical recalibration.

But what the hell, we’re South Africans aren’t we? The first bit involves the long overdue abandonment of classifying professional sports.competitors as role models for society.

This is a total waste of time. Professional sport by the mere fact of being income generating, walked or ran or hopped or jumped or crawled away from classical role modelling behaviour a long time ago.

Instead, as the `Zika Olympics’ (Rio) so clearly reveal, professional sport is a colourful spectacle of physical achievement, except for the Russians who have always seen it as the practice of warfare by other means.

So let them dope, let them get stoned, let them take whatever genital shrinking steriods they wish. And while all this is going on not just in secret but in the full view of the adoring masses, let the rest of society give some serious thought to what a moral role model might really look like.

It may help them of course, to watch Blood Lions, a recently broadcast revelatory documetary (Discovery HD) about the lion breeding business in SA.

This has two extremely broad and divergent branches: conservation of live lions and profit extraction from dead ones.

The dead lion business recognises that lions are not in short supply and due to their fecundity lend themselves to a version of battery farming.

The products of this massive overbreeding programme become available for various types of big game hunting plus the flooding of the Asian traditional medicine market with a cheap substitute for tiger bones.

Most of these activities are legal, despite outcries from a wide range of disgusted human beings on one hand, and selfelected crusaders on the other. May I.comment at this point that both sides like to wear khaki and in some cases, camo.

So what did we learn from this movie? First, that newborn cubs are taken early from their mothers since this triggers the next estrous cycle and the battery chicken rapid breeding process can accelerate.

Biologists interviewed stated that this was to the detriment of both the cubs and the breeding females.

Next, the kind of excessively rich First World “hunters” who buy these lionkilling services, are sometimes such poor shots that they need careful tutoring on the use of their high powered rifles.

Third, there seems to be a sideline business in “animal welfare tourism.” Billed as “educational” young adults from abroad pay large fees to stay on lion producing battery farms where they “nurture” and sometimes “adopt” lion cubs. These cubs when they grow up are likely to be used in “hunting” and of course, the lion bone export trade.

So, all in all, not good stuff but mostly legal in the sphinctertightening sense of marginal or absent regulation. And this of course, is the big payoff for Blood Lions in that the movie raises serious moral issues for the viewer.

The park has defended the temporary reintroduction of cub petting at its new premises, stating that the survival of their business was dependent on this activity.

Cape Town – It’s a case of, ‘we can’t beat them so we’ll join them until it all gets bannedfollowing the current controversy surrounding the Lion Park in Johannesburg, as it has backtracked on a decision to stop lion cub petting.

Lion cub petting is believed to be one of the many pitfalls of South Africa’s notorious canned lion hunting industry – an industry that has come under much scrutiny in the run up to CITES CoP17, set to be held in Johannesburg at the end of September.

Traveller24 contacted the Lion Park to find out exactly why it has decided to shy away from the decision to offer a more authentic safari experience as it put it when the announcement was made in June 22.

n response the Lion Park General Manager Whin Booyens, submitted the following statement says, “We had every intention running the new park without cub petting and we tried to replace this with other activities. Unfortunately this led to a dramatic and unexpected drop in the number of visitors and tour operators.”

‘Our opposition still offers Lion Cub petting’ 

According to Booyens, the park was told “in no uncertain terms that the high demand for cub petting was causing them to rather visit our opposition where such activities are still offered”. Booyens says the “net result” has been an unfair playing field.

“Unless our competitors also stopped the cub petting, the massive R100m investment in our new world class facility, the survival of our business and the livelihoods of all our staff would be at stake.”

But what about the animals?

Booyens confirmed that the park re-introduced cub petting on the 13th of August, with immediate notification sent to CACH, EWT and NCPSA to explain the change in decision.

‘We are willing to eradicate cub petting with help’

Booyens says in the statement the park is “determined to eradicate cub petting” but only with help.

The park wants “other organisations and the government to ban cub petting altogether”, only then will it stop.

“We will give our full support to this cause and help to lobby the authorities to introduce legislation as soon as possible. As soon as this activity becomes illegal, all the players in this field will be in the same position and we will happily stop cub petting forever.”

“After the cubs are too old for petting, (around 6 months), we keep them until they die of natural causes or we donate them to reputable zoos and parks.”

Booyens says the park has over 70 lions and it keeps detailed records of each animal, even micro-chipping its cubs to monitor the animals’ movements.

“If making money was our only objective, surely these surplus lions would have been sold to hunters a long time ago?”

Listing Lions as an endangered species

While the Lion Park says it abhors canned lion hunting and refutes selling its lion cubs, the reality remains that South Africa’s canned lion hunting industry has many pitfalls and loopholes that feed into its existence.

While canned lion hunters and operators claim they’re an outlet of “protection and conservation” to wild lions, the reality is as hunting trophies become outlawed across major international markets including the US (SA’s largest market), the estimated 7 000 captive-bred lions in South Africa, face an uncertain and potentially abusive future.

 

In a series of saddening recent images – Lion & Safari Park, based in Lanseria, South Africa – appear to have not fulfilled their previous guarantees that they would stop all lion cub interactions, as there is evidence to suggest that they are now offering tourists the opportunity to pet lion cubs at their new park.

In 2015 Lion & Safari Park issued a statement to the world that they would cease lion cub petting at their new facility due to the public backlash against them. It seems they have now gone back on their promise. More lion cubs are now being used for tourist entertainment.

Here is a quick timeline of events to make things clearer:

– In late 2014, CBS 60 Minutes exposed Lion & Safari Park for selling their lions into the canned hunting industry.
– In March 2015, Global March for Lions, which Captured in Africa Foundation helped to organise, staged an internationally recognised protest outside Lion & Safari Park, calling for them to stop cub petting and selling lions.
– In June 2015, an American tourist was killed by one of Lion & Safari Park’s lions.
– In late 2015, Lion & Safari Park announced it was to open a new park, ceasing all lion cub interactions due to public backlash.

There are many articles in which Lion & Safari Park claimed to be putting a stop to lion cub petting. So the question is – did the park approach these media outlets with a false statement, which led to false advertising?

Please note that nowhere on Lion & Safari Park’s new website does it stipulate that they offer these lion cub interactions, nor is there any photographic evidence on their website that such lion cub interactions take place. However, the following images were found on Instagram in the 48 hours prior to 15th August 2016. People’s faces and names have been removed to protect their privacy.

Blood Lions, the creators of the documentary expose canned hunting industry states, “Blood Lions adds their voice to those who condemn the Lion Park for going back on their commitment to end animal exploitation practices such as cub-petting. In what is clearly a decision based solely on financial considerations, it once again highlights that the vast majority of South African predator facilities exist purely as a business opportunity. It also reaffirms our stance that all breeding for non-conservation purposes must be stopped.”

Captured In Africa Foundation is a registered non-profit, established to support ongoing efforts for the protection, relocation or rescue of vulnerable and at risk big cats, both in the wild and exploited captive situations. Captured In Africa use their position in the tourism industry to encourage ethical and responsible tourism in conjuncture with their conservation efforts.

 

Cape Town – Lion cub petting is believed to be one of the many pitfalls of South Africa’s notorious canned lion hunting industry – an industry that has come under much scrutiny in the run up to CITES CoP17, set to be held in Johannesburg at the end of September.

In June of this year the controversial Lion Park, which totes itself as the most visited tourist attraction in Gauteng, announced that it would not only be opening its gates in new and improved premises but that it would also be looking to offer a more “authentic safari experience” by doing away with its petting zoo at the new 600 hectare location in the Magaliesberg Mountains.

Operation manager at the time Scott Simpson told Traveller24 that at the new, much larger park, organisers will aim to move away from the “petting zoo experience, to a more authentic safari experience in the Cradle of Humankind”.

However in a turn of events, a series of images have been shared on social media, with the Captured in Africa Foundation taking to Facebook to out the Lion Park’s apparent backtrack decision, describing the images taken on 15 August as “saddening”.

Traveller24 contacted the Lion Park to confirm the reports on social media that the park is once again offering lion cub petting, finding that Simpson has since left the Lion Park, with General Manager Whim Booysen stating he would forward a statement to Traveller24 explaining the park’s decision. Traveller24 has yet to receive the statement.

‘A background of negative publicity’ 

Last year the park came under fire from animal activist groups, who alleged that the petting of cubs is directly related to canned lion hunting. The park banned the petting of cubs shortly after, with Sampson saying at the time “It is against the background of negative media coverage and the ongoing campaigns against us by certain animal activist groups that the decision has been reached to cease the cub interaction and the breeding of lions at the new park.”

The new park does not detail offering lion cub interactions on its website however and previously confirmed it still planned to offer cheetah interactions and walks, as well as the giraffe feeding for visitors.

On 1 June 2015, the park also made headlines when American tourist Catherine Chappell was mauled to death by a female lion during a self-drive safari. Both Chappell and her local guide had their windows rolled down despite various warnings to keep them closed at all times.

This fatal incident followed an attack on an Australian tourist in March 2015.

Listing Lions as an endangered species

Blood Lions, prolific advocates around the unethical issue of canned lion hunting, have since condemned the apparent move by the Lion Park saying, “We condemn the Lion Park for going back on their commitment to end animal exploitation practices such as cub-petting. In what is clearly a decision based solely on financial considerations, it once again highlights that the vast majority of South African predator facilities exist purely as a business opportunity.

“It also reaffirms our stance that all breeding for non-conservation purposes must be stopped,” the organisation says.

African lions are on the 2015 IUCN Red List which shows lion populations have experienced an overall decline of 43 per cent between 1993 and 2014. While populations increased in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe by 12 per cent over the same period thanks to good wildlife management, other sub-populations in the rest of Africa have plummeted by 60 per cent.

Following an historic agreement between 28 African lion Range States, more than 180 countries are expected to debate whether to move lions from their current listing on Appendix II to Appendix I – which would prohibit the trade in lions, except under exceptional circumstances. South Africa is the host nation for CITES COP117 conference to be held in Johannesburg from 24 September to 5 October at the Sandton Convention Centre.

LANSERIA – The Lion and Safari Park in Lanseria is still allowing visitors to pet lion cubs at their reserve, despite stating publicly last year that the practice would stop, claimed the Blood Lion Campaign.

When contacted for comment, the Lion and Safari Park confirmed that although the cub interaction had been stopped once the park moved premises in July, this caused a dramatic drop in the number of visitors, who instead just went to other places where cub interaction was still possible.

“We are not competing on a level playing field and unless our competitors also stop the cub interaction, the massive R100-million investment in the new facility and the survival of our business will be at stake,” said Rodney Fuhr, CEO of the park in a written statement. “Reluctantly, we have no choice but to temporarily re-introduce cub interaction.
“In light of our commitment and determination to eradicate this activity we are willing to join with, and help, other organisations and the government to ban cub petting altogether. We will give our full support to this cause and help to lobby the authorities to introduce legislation as soon as possible.”
But the decision has been criticised by animal activists such as the Blood Lions campaign, who argue that such interactions have a negative effect on the animals.
“Blood Lions adds their voice to those who condemn the Lion Park for going back on their commitment to end animal exploitation practices such as cub petting,” the Facebook post said.
“In what is clearly a decision based solely on financial considerations, it once again highlights that the vast majority of South African predator facilities exist purely as a business opportunity. It also reaffirms our stance that all breeding for non-conservation purposes must be stopped.”

INITIAL REPORT: 16 August 2016 – 12pm

On Tuesday, 16 August the Blood Lions Facebook page posted a message claiming that the Lion and Safari Park was still offering guests the opportunity to pet, hold and interact closely with the animals, even though it had promised in July last year that people would no longer be allowed to do so from this year onwards.

There were also photos attached to their post that showed children cradling and cuddling the cubs, although it is not certain where or when these photos were taken.

“Blood Lions adds their voice to those who condemn the Lion Park for going back on their commitment to end animal exploitation practices such as cub-petting,” the Facebook post said.

“In what is clearly a decision based solely on financial considerations, it once again highlights that the vast majority of South African predator facilities exist purely as a business opportunity. It also reaffirms our stance that all breeding for non-conservation purposes must be stopped.”

We are currently contacting the Lion and Safari Park in a bid to get comment. Updates will follow as more information becomes available.

The Lion Park has been involved in previous controversy including a widely publicized attack

JOHANNESBURG – The Lion Park in Lanseria, north of Johannesburg, has gone back on a decision to stop cub petting and reinstated the activity.

Lion Park spokesman Whin Booysen told eNCA.com on Tuesday that the park had tried to do without the activity but had to bring it back due to massive financial losses.

“We lost vast amounts of tourism without the activity as it is very popular at the park. Lion cub petting is something that all related attractions offer. Everybody is doing it, so we have to keep it. We work very hard and the petting is very popular among our tourists.”

In July 2015, park owners said in a statement that the decision to remove lion cub petting was taken after negative publicity.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) spokesperson Isabel Wentzel said they had known it was just a matter of time and the park would go back on its word.

“It’s obvious that they are only worried about the money and not the wellbeing of the animals.

“The animals are overworked and there are no reasons for tourists to come into direct contact with the lions. We encourage people to ask questions and find out why touching the animals is necessary.”

“If there was some sort of educational reason behind contact with the animals then it would be a different story. There are definitely other ways to incorporate this attraction with a means that would not put the tourist or the animals in danger.”

The park maintains that Interactions with other animals will still be available at the park.

Cape Town – The world has just celebrated World Lion Day on 11 August 2016 – but now this incident has surfaced.

Concerned animal lovers have caused an uproar about a baby lion that has been passed around for photo opps in Canadian night club Lavelle, with pics of the cub having been shared on Instagram.

The Dodo reports the local animal welfare organisation Animal Justice, as well as the Toronto Animal Services (TAS) have been made aware of the photos. Animal justice says on Facebook, “Toronto Animal Services is investigating after we reported Instagram selfies of a lion cub being paraded around the nightclub Lavelle. It’s illegal to possess a lion in Toronto.”

Animal Justice’s executive directer, Camille Labchuk says, “It’s illegal in Toronto to parade exotic animals around nightclubs for marketing purposes. Baby animals aren’t toys. This lion cub should be with her mother, not used as a prop for selfies.”

She further told CP24 “It’s seriously detrimental to the welfare of these animals to be owned by private people and taken around to events like this. It’s very dangerous to have these wild animals. They are not tame they are not domesticated they’re not like house cats.”

“If you can hug, ride or take a selfie with a wild animal, chances are cruelty is involved — so don’t do it,” Jan Schmidt-Burbach from World Animal Protection (WAP) told the Dodo.

Concerned animal lovers on Facebook cannot agree more.

Lavelle spokesperson said a guest brought the lion cub into the night club and that this was not arranged by the club. The guest was soon asked to leave.

According to Labchuk, it is alleged that the lion belongs to the Bowmanville Zoo in Ontario, owned by infamous Hollywood animal trainer, Michael Hackenberger. Hackenberger’s gained a reputation after videos showed him whipping a tiger during training.

Labchuk pointed out that the lion being passed around in the club is said to wear the same collar as a cub from the zoo, where lion cub encounters are also offered to visitors and animals are known to be rented out for events.

In April, Hackenberger received five counts of animal cruelty against him by the Ontario SPCA. He might face two years of jail time, a $66 000 fine(about R880 000 at R13.37/$) and a ban on owning animals.

A South African sanctuary Emoya has recently been instrumental in helping a group of circus lions as part of Operation Spirit of Freedom. The 33 lions were rescued by British charity Animal Defenders International (ADI) from South American circuses and were expected to live a better life in SA. However, recently two have died after succumbing to a naturally occurring toxin. Emoya was opened by Savannah Heuser in 2012 and it has no breeding policy, nor is it open to the public.

Over and above this, the prolific documentary Blood Lions has sought to blow the lid off the issued associated with the lion cub and canned lion hunting industry. Most recently

Most recently the Fair Trade Association of South Africa has just launched a new set of volunteer criteria to help tourism businesses wanting to avoid the dark side of voluntourism.