Wildlife
Bred for the Bullet
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cattered across Southern Africa are hundreds of so-called Lion sanctuaries. Tapping into the voluntourism market, well-meaning volunteers can generate up to $100,000.00 a month in revenue by cuddling and looking after allegedly orphaned cubs. People looking to visit Africa believe they can contribute to the greater good and help Melissa Foley an endangered species while enjoying the experience of bottle feeding a lion cub as it falls asleep in their arms. Day trips for tourists make it possible to walk alongside the mighty King of the Jungle. These sanctuaries will inform you the money is all donated to conservation and rehabilitation efforts for these animals. One doesn’t need to be an animal behavioral specialist or have any scientific or a zoological expertise to understand the otherwise obvious concept -- if these animals incur extensive repeated human exposure, how could they ever be rehabilitated and released back into the wild? To date, there is not a single successful lion reintroduction program using captive bred and reared lions in South Africa. The tragic reality is that these animals will never be returned to their natural habitats. Having been abducted from their mothers as cubs, they’ve been bred, interbred and even crossbred with illegally smuggled tigers from India. Day tours and voluntourism programs are merely a short-term financial solution to generate income and cover the cost of raising these animals for their true purpose of becoming the victim of canned or captive hunting. Unlike traditional fair-chase hunting, once these animals are at the appropriate size they will be auctioned online. After losing their natural instincts due to friendly human exposure, they are released in a controlled small space. Over 1,000 of these lions will be shot annually by “hunters” from all over the world, with 50 percent of the
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demand coming from the American market. One can merely “shop” online for their designated target, set a price, and be guaranteed a kill within 48 hours. This practice has opened new markets for people that would not have been able to afford a fair-chase wild hunt; and contrary to many supporters’ claims, there is no data to demonstrate hunting captivebred lions takes pressure off wild lions. Furthermore, there is no research showing this industry has made any significant contribution to uplifting local communities or employment opportunities. Wildlife management and conservation throughout Africa is intended to be a regulated and monitored industry. Insurance, scientific oversight, strategic relocations, and genetic management with databases to prevent genetic contamination help to ensure healthy survival of various species, including lions. However, widespread government corruption has allowed this region to harbor hundreds of private and under-regulated breeding facilities. Various ministries responsible for such oversight, including the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries, all claim that the jurisdiction to prohibit and implement higher standards of these facilities falls outside of their department. These facilities also capitalize on additional profitable revenue sources, including the lion bone trade, which is now being used as an alternative to tiger bones in Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to the Department of Environmental Affairs and CITES, the pattern of the wildlife trade market shows a significant increase of lion carcasses being exported, which suggests a forecasted growth in the poaching industry. Often under the guise of scientific or research purposes, predators are also being sold to private and public zoos around the world, many of which are in a poor state. Whether home or traveling abroad, our overwhelming desire for wildlife encounters exploits both wildlife and well-meaning tourists. The World Animal Protection found that 75
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