South Africa’s Cabinet has recently approved a revised Policy Position to halt the country’s captive lion industry, which has threatened its reputation as a leader in the conservation of wildlife and as a destination with iconic wild lions. 

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) latest revised Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros, said the intensive breeding of lions in controlled environments, and the commercial exploitation of captive or captive-bred lions had negatively affected their iconic status.

“Although some operators may implement acceptable standards of welfare, there are major animal welfare contraventions in the industry in general,” the DFFE said.

The objective of the latest policy is to end the captive keeping of lions for commercial purposes and close captive lion facilities, put a halt to the intensive breeding of lions in controlled environments, and end the commercial exploitation of captive and captive-bred lions.

“This Policy Objective sets out to prohibit activities that do not promote wellbeing and humane practices, actions, and activities toward lions, and seeks to mitigate risks from the domestication of lions. In addition, this policy objective seeks to ensure duty of care towards lions,” the DFFE added.

This Policy Objective has the following Actions for Implementation:

• Process for engagement of all stakeholders in the captive lion industry and lion conservation; 
• Strategy developed and implemented to halt domestication of lions in controlled environments; end exploitation of captive and captive-bred lions; end the captive breeding of lions, including through a sterilisation process; close captive lion facilities; monitor the impacts of the above on breeding of other cat species, and ensure that poor lion practices are not transferred to other species; improve security for wild lions to prevent a shift to illegal killing to source derivatives from wild lion populations; and expand the number and distribution of extensive wildlife systems containing free-roaming lions; with consideration given to the future employment of workers within the industry, and taking into account the conservation and socio-economic impact of this strategy.
• An exit process developed and implemented with respect to the disposal of lions in existing captive facilities, which considers all possible options.
• Develop enabling regulatory tools for ending the keeping, breeding, handling, and trade of captive lions and their parts and derivatives, hunting of captive and captive-bred lions, and establishment of new captive lion facilities.

“In implementing the identified actions, this will result in the closure of the captive lion industry, enhanced global reputation, and a stimulated biodiversity-based tourism industry,” the DFFE said.

Ban ‘welcomed’

Ian Michler, Director of the documentary Blood Lions – which exposes the reality of canned lion hunting and lion trophy hunting in South Africa – and Founder of Invent Africa Safaris, a travel company specialising in tailor-made safaris across the continent, said Blood Lions had welcomed the ministers’ decision to end the captive lion industry.

“While it has been a long time coming, the Ministry has gone through a thorough process involving all stakeholders, including the scientific and conservation community, and the majority have voted in favour of closure. All involved deserve huge credit,” Michler told Tourism Update.

He noted that, at this stage, it was too early to say exactly what it meant for the breeders and hunters other than at some stage, they would need to comply.

“For tourism in general, it lifts the negative sentiments the captive breeding industry has brought to South Africa’s marketing claims as well as our conservation record. It should also signal an end to all the operators exploiting lions, particularly cubs, in the wider tourism industry.”

He added that this decision would hopefully serve as the green light to discuss a full sterilisation process on all captive lions.

“Once this is completed, we have a clear timeline for final closure. At the same time, welfare experts and vets will be able to get clarity on the condition of the lions. While it is hoped the majority will find homes within suitable sanctuaries, there is no doubt some will be in poor condition.”

Michler did, however, caution that it was important to note that the decision must still become law.

“During this process, we expect the captive lion industry to push back, including the use of legal action. There is still work to do.”

‘Long overdue’

David Frost, CEO of SATSA, told Tourism Update that as representatives of South Africa’s inbound tourism, SATSA stands in full support of the ban, which is long overdue. "International trophy hunters represent a fraction of the inbound leisure industry as a whole, and we must be mindful that certain aberrant practices such as captive animal breeding for hunting can be detrimental to South Africa’s overall tourism brand," he noted. 

Frost pointed to a piece written by an investigative environmental journalist, Dr Adam Cruise, who highlighted an illuminative point on the future of trophy hunting in South Africa: “The fixation with trophy hunting as a means to expand the economy also comes at a time when trophy hunting is in a state of decline and is no longer able to pay for its ecological footprint. Foreign hunters coming to South Africa have declined by 62.4% in 14 years, from 16,594 in 2008 to 6,242 in 2022”.  

"In 2019 I embarked on a roadshow alongside the acting CEOs of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) and South African Tourism to meet and engage with CEOs of international tourism operators from key source markets.  A salient point made by German operators was that family travel has changed significantly since 20 years ago, when the matriarch of the family would usually take the lead in planning holidays.

"These days, it is often the children (representing a large portion of today’s growing ‘conscious traveller’ market) who have a stronger sway around family travel plans and would likely not want to visit countries where animals, such as predators and other high-profile species, are bred in captivity to support the hunting travel market. ," Frost pointed out.

"We must pay heed to what our travel customers want in order to preserve South Africa's valuable tourism offering," he concluded.