In a move to hold the wayward Department of Environmental Affairs to account, and signalling the beginning of the end of the captive and canned lion industry in South Africa, the official Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Affairs Report and Recommendations on the Captive Lion industry in South Africa has been published. The full report is the Portfolio Committee’s Report Resolutions and Recommendations, which will then be considered by the National Assembly and ultimately Cabinet. The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs having conducted the “Colloquium on Captive Lion Breeding for Hunting in South Africa: Harming or promoting the Conservation Image of the Country”, held on 21 and 22 August 2018.
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Read the full Parliament of the RSA release – Announcements, Tablings and Committee reports which can be found at Parliament’s website.

The EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading submitted detailed comments on 10 March 2017 on “DEA Notice 74 of 2017 On Draft Regulations for the Domestic Trade in Rhinoceros Horn, or Part, Product or Derivative of Rhinoceros Horn” (“2017 Draft Regulations”). Animal Law Reform South
Africa supports these submissions.

We have not re-iterated all of the concerns and comments relating to the 2017 Draft Regulations herein but wish to affirm our stance relating to these regulations insofar as they apply to the Documents.

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A letter was submitted on behalf of 19 organisations regarding the birth of 2 cubs through artificial insemination at a captive facility outside Johannesburg in collaboration with the Mammal Research Institute (University of Pretoria). This submission includes some of the world’s leading lion conservation and research organisations, and representatives from multiple sectors including animal welfare, animal protection, multi-cultural and faith-based NGO’s. Based on our cumulative knowledge and experience, we do not support the captive breeding of lions, whether assisted or not, because it does not contribute to biodiversity conservation or address the main threats to wild lion conservation.

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In South Africa, Protected Areas managers and tourists alike are concerned that our expanding elephant population will negatively affect the number and structure of iconic tree species such as the Marula (Sclerocarya birrea). Elephants Alive (www.ElephantsAlive.org) were approached by South Africa National Parks (SANParks) in 2012 to discuss methods which could be used to keep elephants out of particular areas where certain landscape features such as tall trees needed to be preserved as part of the biodiversity objectives of SANParks.

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In the last 18 months, the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading have been gathering extensive information and investigating South Africa’s international ‘lion’ bone trade. This data has provided the basis of our Report. Read the full report

Appendix One: Big Cat Skeleton Exports 2014-2017 – Mindmap
Appendix Two: South African Skeleton Traders 2014-2017
Appendix Three: Foreign Skeleton Importers 2014-2017