http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews...1657607#.UxnrQvldU1J


Global protest at lion hunting

March 7 2014 at 07:34am
By SIHLE MLAMBO

Durban -

Greedy game farmers and the “incompetence and ethical illiteracy” of South Africa’s conservation officials are contributing to the extinction of the pride of Africa – the embattled lion.

This is according to lion expert Chris Mercer of the Campaign against Canned Hunting, who will join activists from around the world in a multi-city protest on March 15 against the practice he said was decimating lion populations.

Canned hunting was legal, but unethical, said Mercer, who wants the government to declare the animals endangered.

He said wild lions faced threats from all sides – trophy hunting, poaching, loss of habitat, disease, lion farming, the trade in lion bones, and conflicts with farmers.

“There are more than twice as many captive-bred lions (8 000) than there are wild ones (2 700), and there is only one market for captive bred lions – canned hunting,” he said.

“There is blame to spread around – the greed of lion farmers and canned hunting operators, the demand from affluent foreigners for the pleasure of killing a tame lion, and the incompetence and ethical illiteracy of SA conservation officials.”

Mercer said ethical literacy and improvements in the conservation structures of the country were needed to reverse the situation.

“Raise the status of lions to endangered, and move them from appendix 11 to appendix 1 of Cites (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species),” he said. “Educate the public not to indulge in cub petting or volunteering at lion farms.”

Mercer said profits from canned hunting went to the hunting industry, lion farmers and hunting operators.

“Very little money trickles down to community benefit… just ban the captive breeding of predators, the hunting of lions, and the export of lion body parts,” he said, “and then wait for the industry to spend billions of dollars, if necessary, to preserve their colonial hunting privileges.”

Conservation activists have planned protest marches across the country against canned lion hunting, as they fear the animals are in danger of extinction unless legislation is amended to protect them.

One will be held on Durban’s beachfront next Saturday, with others in Joburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Hoedspruit, Grahamstown, Port Elizabeth and East London.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo said that the activists had a right to march, and that the wildlife body respected their decision to demonstrate.

Moses Rannditsheni, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Affairs, said there was no intention to amend the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Nemba) in relation to lions, but said they were listed as a vulnerable species – which means they faced the high risk of extinction in the medium-term future.

“The DEA is currently in a process to review the list of threatened or protected species. The indication is that lions will remain listed as a vulnerable species.

“A permit is required in terms of Nemba to carry out any restricted activity, such as hunting, catching, keeping, breeding or transporting lions.

“It is prohibited to hunt lions in a small enclosure or while it is under the influence of a tranquilliser,” he said.

Rannditsheni said the international lion trade and its specimens was regulated by Cites regulations – which required permits for the import, export or re-export of lion specimens.

He said South Africa had a lion population of about 2 800 wild lions, “of which more than 67 percent are protected in national parks where no hunting is allowed”.

“An additional 8.5 percent of wild lions occur in protected areas in KwaZulu-Natal, where they are also protected from utilisation. The core of wild populations thus appears to be either stable or increasing.”

Margot Stewart, the chief executive of the non-profit organisation Wild and Free SA said some lion breeders were exacerbating the problem.

“Certain South African lion breeders are selling lion skeletons and bones to Asian wildlife traffickers and so, from birth till after their death, lions are being cruelly exploited in an industry that includes petting zoos and gimmicky tourist venues, before ending their lives as a canned hunting trophy or euthanised for their bones,” she said.

Stewart said lions could face extinction if they were not protected.

“This is our national heritage. If this carries on much longer, we will be in danger of having an iconic species going extinct,” she said.

sihle.mlambo@inl.co.za

Someone should remind these nutters if it wasn't for "canned" breeding, there would have been no rhinos left!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Someone should remind these nutters if it wasn't for "canned" breeding, there would have been no rhinos left!

That would require rational thinking , something these people are in short supply of....

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Someone should remind these nutters if it wasn't for "canned" breeding, there would have been no rhinos left!

This is about eliminating game farms & hunting, not about saving the Lion.

They could care less if any lions survived as long as hunting is stopped.

Agreed. As distasteful as it might be, ban canned hunting and there will be 8,000 fewer lions in SA. How will that help lions?

I couldn't agree more fella's. And as far as the anti hunting crowd goes, they are mental midgets who are motivated by money. Wildlife could piss off as long as the big dollars roll into their pockets. Look at the HSUS/Peta idiots. They roll a $400Mil bank and give 1% to animal shelters. Most is given to high roller salaries and retirement incentives, the rest goes to multi-million dollar TV ads pressing more mental midgets to donate $$$ and suing the USF&W, State Game commissions and anyone they think they can run rough shod over. Stop Lion hunting = the end of the African Lion.

Sounds exactly like envy against people that make money in hunting industry.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201403150105.html



Inkatha Freedom Party (Durban)

South Africa: IFP Joins Mission to Save Our Lions
15 MARCH 2014



PRESS RELEASE

Today IFP MP, Dr Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, was honoured to receive the petition of the Global March Against Canned Lion Hunting outside Parliament in Cape Town. Dr Ambrosini accepted the petition on behalf of IFP President, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP, who has undertaken to deliver it to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Hon. Mr Max Sisulu, to be circulated to all Members of Parliament.

The march in Cape Town was one of 46 marches in cities across the world, to call attention to the plight of lions bred in captivity for the sole purpose of becoming trophies of a staged hunt. These lions face a brutal life and undignified death.

The IFP believes that Government has a duty to ban the cowardly practice of canned lion hunting. Accordingly, the Chief Whip of the IFP tabled a Motion in Parliament this week, which was adopted, in which Parliament urges Government to immediately amend South Africa's laws to fully protect our wildlife, particularly the lion, rhino and elephant.

This was a victory for our wildlife. But more must be done. The IFP commits to continue working on behalf of our lions, to ensure they live the dignified life they deserve.

Receiving the petition, Dr Ambrosini said, "It is a matter of the civility, values and humanity which inform our society. If we fail in this respect, we have little hope to rise to the challenges of being humane with one another when it comes to the big social issues confronting South Africa."