Just had an interesting conversation with an outfitter that jsut came back from the shows in Mexico. It appears that Mexico has a rather large lion breeding/collection industry where they breed and collect ex-zoo lions. They then sell them to South African ranches who in turn sell them as hunting trophies! South Africans end up paying about $3000 per lion and then by the time they arrive in Africa the cost is $12,000 per lion and they end up selling them for $30000 to "hunters"

They apparently sell 50-80 lions a year this way. They have the same "program" for tigers which of course are only shot by Mexican clients as they cannot export the trophies.....

Now, would these qualify as South African lions or Mexican lions in the SCI record books

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There were some boys who tried this up in East Texas a few years ago with an old mangey circus lion, got them into considerable trouble, at least with the local news media. There was also a funny movie released last year regarding the same subject matter, "Second Hand Lions", starring Michael Caine and Robert Duvall.

I've been in the business of hunting for a long time and pretty much have a handle on what is going on, and never heard this one....Could be and probably is just pure BS IMO, as there just are not that many zoo lions in Mexico, maybe 3 or 4 at the most.

Should it be true then its time to raise hell and expose them for what they are and SCI should take a hand in this...

I will find out and let you know if there is any truth to it. If not then it dies here.

Hey Ray, good to see you back ready to raise cain and keep the record straight.

Alf, as long as we are on the subject, I was told a story of a lion breeder in the Orange Free State that had a herd numbering in the hundreds and was selling dozens every year for the canned lion hunt trade.

I knew lion kennels existed but just assumed they were small operations of maybe a couple dozen total lions each. Any truth to this large scale operation story?

As for this Mexican lion-rumor story, I know less than a schoolgirl on the subject but it sure sounds like an email/urban legend material to me.

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Ever since I posted this I've been trying to find more evidence that might shed some light.

I finally caught up with the person that told me the story and asked him for more info.
Well he did not want to name anybody but as he is someone I have done business with in the past I honestly don't have any reason to not believe he is telling the truth.

The reason why RSA PH's/outfitters are buying lions from Mexico is purely economics! The lion bought in Mexico and landed in RSA cost this particular outfitter $12,000! The same lion bought from a breeder in RSA goes for $25,000.
The Mexican lion is sold for $25,000-30,000 whereas the RSA bred lion is more expensive.

My "friend" was a guest of a Mexican client that has booked a safari with him in 2005. At the shows, this client bought a lion and a tiger from a mexican breeder for $13,000. He is going to "shoot" them this year! My friend is considering cancelling the booking over this....

I must state that this has been recounted to me by someone I know and other than this I have no way of verifying it or not. Truth or lie i cannot say.
I do know that for the ever greedy outfitters the sums add up