South Africa has unveiled plans to phase out the captive breeding of lions for hunting, marking a significant step toward banning the controversial practice.
The breeding of big cats to be later hunted by affluent individuals, often from abroad, has drawn widespread condemnation from conservationists and animal rights advocates.
Wealthy hunters, typically paying thousands of dollars, would often take home trophies such as the head or skin of the slain animal.
The government’s intention to prohibit lion breeding for hunting was announced in 2021, and after two years of deliberation by an ad hoc panel, Environment Minister Barbara Creecy revealed the recommendation to shut down the captive breeding sector during a press conference in Cape Town.
Breeders will be given a two-year window to voluntarily exit the industry and transition their operations before the ban is enforced. Despite opposition from stakeholders in the lucrative industry, the government approved the proposal last week, although it still needs to be translated into law.
The move coincides with a mounting backlash against trophy hunting in Western countries. Campaigns to ban trophy imports have gained momentum in the United States, Australia, and several European nations in recent years.
Kamalasen Chetty, head of the ad hoc panel, highlighted the industry’s complexity and its historical misalignment with contemporary international conservation trends and domestic policy changes.
Estimates suggest that between 8,000 and 12,000 lions are kept on approximately 350 farms across South Africa, a stark contrast to the mere 3,500 wild lions reported by the Endangered Wildlife Trust, an NGO based in South Africa. Animal rights groups frequently criticize the conditions in which these captive animals are held.
