NOMINATIONS FOR A MINISTERIAL LION TASK TEAM

NOMINATIONS FOR A MINISTERIAL LION TASK TEAM

BACKGROUND

The EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading publicly released a Report on the 11th of July 2018 titled The Extinction Business: South Africa’s Lion Bone Trade.

On the 21st and 22nd of August 2018 a colloquium titled Captive Lion Breeding for Hunting in South Africa: Harmful or Promoting the Conservation Image of the Country was held in the Good Hope Chamber in Parliament in Cape Town. The Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Technologies of the People’s Assembly, Mr Mohlopi Philemon Mapulane, acted as Chairperson of the colloquium. Michele Pickover, the Executive Director of the EMS Foundation and Dr Smaragda Louw, the Director and Chairperson of Ban Animal Trading presented a synopsis of the Extinction Business Report that the Colloquium.

As a result of the findings of the aforementioned Colloquium, Minister Barbara Creecy appointed a High-Level Panel of experts on the 10th October 2019, to review policies, regulatory measures, practices and policy positions that are related to hunting, trade, captive keeping, management and handling of not only lion but also elephant, leopard and rhinoceros.

On the 2nd May 2021 Minister Creecy released the Report of the High-Level Panel who she announced “collectively envisage a secure, restored and rewarded natural landscape with thriving populations of elephant, lion, rhino and leopard as indicators for a vibrant, responsible, inclusive, transformed and sustainable wildlife sector.”

On the 15th of August 2022 Minister Creecy announced her intention to appoint a ministerial task team to identify voluntary exit options and pathways for lion breeders from the captive lion industry.

The EMS Foundation supports the selection decision of the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa and endorses the seven Candidates who were presented to Dr Tsepang Makholela

Image Credit: HSH Photos Harman Singh Heer