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There is a misconception that the
recent case lost by the South African Predator Breeders
Association means the death knell of the canned hunting and
breeding industry. The general public, both locally and
internationally, cannot be faulted for thinking that canned
hunting in South African is a thing of the past. But nothing
can be further from the truth. Far from being controlled,
statistics are showing that the canned hunting industry,
with active support from the government, is growing
exponentially. And it is not only confined to the hunting of
large predators - elephants, rhinos and every other wild
species is also hunted and killed in this way.
Over the past year provincial and
national Environmental Affairs spokespersons have been at
pains to promise lion breeders that the industry is not
geared for demise. As recently as 9 July 2008 the former
Deputy Minister, Rejoice Mabudafhasi, unequivocally assured
them that “government does appreciate the existence of the
industry and that there is no way that the regulations will
eventually lead to the closure of the industry as the
industry is an accepted part of
the tourism experience package that South Africa markets.”
(http://www.search.gov.za/info/previewDocument.jsp?dk=%2Fdata%2Fstatic%2Finfo%2Fspeeches%2F2008%2F08071012451002.htm%40SpeechesandStatements&q=(+((mabudafhasi)%3CIN%3ETitle)+)+%3CAND%3E(+Category%3Cmatches%3Es+)&t=R+Mabudafhasi+on+lion+breeders)
The breeding and hunting of predators
and the fact that at least 11 people have been killed by
captive lions since 2005, is a threat to South Africa’s
tourism industry. It cannot be emphasised enough that our
government has been pivotal in facilitating the canned
predator breeding and hunting industry and therefore cannot
simply shy away from its responsibilities with regards to
the enormously negative consequences of its rampant
unethical and unsustainable “consumptive use” policies.
The very existence of so many lions in
captivity itself constitutes an animal welfare and animal
rights crisis which must not be allowed to continue. This
will remain the case even should all hunting and breeding of
captive raised predators be stopped.
ARA calls on Minister Sonjica to be
proactive and take urgent action to act in the interests of
the 4000 predators held in captivity in South Africa so that
a welfare crisis of astronomical proportions, which will
also harm South Africa’s image internationally, can be
avoided. The Department of Environment needs to work closely
and partner with animal protection organisations to devise a
plan that would address the ethical and welfare concerns of
the predators caught up in the industry.
Said ARA spokesperson Michele Pickover,
“South Africa urgently needs a new, ethics-based approaches
to wildlife conservation. The way conservation is currently
practiced in South Africa has become part of the problem,
not part of the solution.”
Ends.
Contact persons for ARA:
Steve Smit +27 (0) 82 659
4711 Michele Pickover +27 (0) 82 253 2124
ARA
email - info@animalrightsafrica.org
ARA website – www.animalrightsafrica.org |
