Executive producer Dr Andrew Venter, CEO Wildlands, says, “Lions are one of our planet’s iconic species. Their dominance, strength and leadership abilities anchor cultural tradition across Africa, Europe and Asia. Their behaviour and spirit are revered in song and dance globally. They are a primary attraction for Africa’s eco-tourism industry. Simply put, they epitomise Africa’s wildness.”
He makes the point: “Unfortunately, in South Africa the greed of a small group of tourism and hunting operators is downgrading their status to that of a simple tradable commodity.”
“These unethical operators are actively deceiving our Government, and the hunters and tourists that they host.
They are prostituting lions for their own benefit whilst promoting their activities as conservation efforts. This is simply not true; their activities are unethical, fraudulent and corrupt. Harnessing the volunteer tourism industry to enable the breeding of lions for hunting is a con. Hunting captive-bred lions that are drugged and have never roamed or socialised in the wild, is a con. They need to be stopped.”
Blood Lions™ will help do this, exposing the rotten core of the lion industry in South Africa and will lay a foundation for an effective campaign aimed at ending these activities. Pippa Hankinson, producer of Blood Lions, concludes: “Many people have asked me what made me decide to make this film. There were a number of reasons, animals in general, but our wildlife in particular, have always mattered to me. However, Martin Luther King Jr best summed it up for me when he said, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter’.”
THE CAMPAIGN
The campaign will form a cohesive and powerful motivation for all those determined to put an end to the breeding of lions purely for the bullet. It will provide information, direction and a constant monitoring of the progress of the efforts of everyone involved. It is aimed at the general public, both local and international, who believe that what is happening on the breeding and hunting farms is simply not right. It will also target government agencies and lawmakers, tourism bodies, ecologists, conservationists and all media. It will provide leadership for all those who seek to change the status quo.