The Republic of South Africa, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and The Environment (DFFE) has issued its “Draft Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros” – Government Gazette, No. 49322, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE), dated 19 September 2023.
There are many contradictions between the previous “White Paper’s“ progressive spirit – the Policy Position espouses the commercial trophy hunting of leopard, rhinoceros and elephant, keeping the speculative spectre of a legal international trade in ivory and rhinoceros horn alive….
The Policy Position proposals to correct unsustainable practices and promote conservation are welcome. The Policy Position ((1), page 5) “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 lion” is long-overdue and welcomed:
“The minister has put in place a lion advisory panel which is attempting to assess the captive lion population and looking into voluntary exit plans for breeders” (“Government opens public comments on policy to end captive lion breeding,” Daily Maverick, 26 September 2023). The recommendations of the advisory panel are awaited.
IWB’s submission – “Draft Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros,” Dated 9 October 2023
Further Reading
“Lion protection fee paid by tourists could help stop trophy hunting – SA study,” Moneyweb, 7 October 2023
“Government opens public comments on policy to end captive lion breeding,” Don Pinnock, Daily Maverick, 26 September 2023
“Balule trophy hunt — how not to shoot an elephant,” Daily Maverick, 12 September 2023
“Hume’s herd of 2,000 African rhinos get a last-minute ‘lifeline’ in major purchase and rewilding project,” Daily Maverick, 4 September 2023
“EXPORT OF 10 LIVE LIONS FROM SOUTH AFRICA TO THE LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC,” EMS Foundation, 10 August 2023
“Lion farming in South Africa: fresh evidence adds weight to fears of link with illegal bone trade,” The Conversation, 10 August 2023
“Putting a stop to cruelty: why South Africa´s commercial captive lion industry should be shut down for good,” World Animal Protection, July 2023
“Biting the hand that feeds you: Attacks by captive carnivores cause deaths and injuries in South Africa, ” De Waal et al., African Journal of Wildlife Research 53: 21–28 (published 2 June 2023) – https://doi.org/10.3957/056.053.0021
“What Are John Hume’s Rhinos Really Worth?” Nature Needs More, 27 April 2023
International Wildlife Bond 