Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dr Dion George has called for public comments on the draft notice prohibiting certain activities involving the African lion.
“With the world's largest captive lion population of around 8000, South Africa faces numerous issues such as misalignment with global conservation trends, questionable tourism practices, inadequate regulation, and persistent animal welfare and other issues,” the Minister said on Friday.
The industry's deficiency in social license and departure from international norms present massive problems to its sustainability.
“To understand these issues better with the view to find a solution, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Environmental Affairs convened a Colloquium on Captive Lion Breeding for Hunting in South Africa: Harming or Promoting the Conservation Image of the Country in 2018.
“One of the recommendations of the Portfolio Committee was that a policy and legislative review of captive breeding of lions for hunting and lion bone trade should be initiated as a matter of urgency, with a view to putting an end to this practice,” George said.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has given notice of its intention to prohibit certain activities involving African lion (Panthera leo), in terms of section 9A, read with sections 99 and 100 of the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004) in the Government Gazette No. 51581 Notice No. 5555.
On 24 April 2024 the Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros was published in the Government Gazette for implementation.
The Policy Objective with regards to captive lions is: “To end the captive keeping of lions for commercial purposes and close captive lion facilities, put a halt to the intensive breeding of lion in controlled environments, and end the commercial exploitation of captive and captive-bred lions."
The Minister said lions have a highly developed social organisation.
“Lions are gregarious and territorial, comprise a matriarchal society, with male coalitions, and exhibit communal care. Their complex social structure is manifested in their innate behavioural ecology.
“Providing opportunity for complex social interactions, such as the ability to interact naturally with other lions, for example, as groups of males, with groups of females or with their offspring, is critical,” he said.
This requires sufficient space for groups of lions to choose to be together in a group, or to move separately at sufficient distance to provide for a refuge from the group.
Artificial behavioural enhancement may not be sufficient to substitute for these highly evolved needs.
ions are a highly territorial and competitive species, especially in respect of competition for access to mates and promoting the production and survival of their own progeny. The ability to escape when dominated as a result of intra-specific competition is a critical consideration.
As apex predators, hunting and killing, as well as the diverse diet associated with a generalist apex predator and access to prey, are central to the physiology and behaviour of lions.
“It has become critical to implement appropriate measures to prevent the establishment of new captive facilities and other controlled environments for lion whilst a process to facilitate the voluntary exit of captive lion facilities is currently underway,” the Minister said.
A draft Notice Prohibiting Certain Activities Involving African Lion (Panthera leo) was published in the Government Gazette on 29 September 2023 for public comment.
Due to substantial amendments to the afore-mentioned draft notice subsequent to the public consultation process, an amended draft prohibition notice has now been published in terms of section 9A of NEM: BA for public comment.
The proposed prohibition relates only to the establishment and registration of new captive breeding facilities, commercial exhibition facilities or rehabilitation facilities, or any other new controlled environments in respect of live specimens of African lion (Panthera leo).
The establishment and registration of new sanctuaries are excluded from the proposed prohibition in the circumstance specified in paragraph 3.
Persons who operate under existing permits are not affected by the proposed prohibition.
Members of the public are invited to submit, within 30 days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Government Gazette or newspapers, whichever date is the later date of publication, written comments to any of the following addresses:
By post to: The Director-General: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Attention: Ms Magdel Boshoff
Private Bag X447
PRETORIA
0001
By hand at: Reception, Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Road, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0083
By e-mail: revisedlionprohibition@dffe.gov.za
The Government Notice and the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment can be accessed at these following links:
https://www.dffe.gov.za/sites/default/files/legislations/nema_lionactivitiesprohibition_g51581gon5555.pdf.
Any inquiries in connection with this Notice can be directed to Ms Magdel Boshoff on +27 83 952 2334 or revisedlionprohibition@dffe.gov.za. - SAnews.gov.za
