Lion breeders to give up bone stockpiles?

The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment issued an official notice in mid-November in which it called on lion breeders to voluntarily hand over their lion bone stockpiles to the state as soon as possible.

- Annelie Coleman

“In South Africa, which has the world’s largest captive lion population of around 8 000, the captive lion industry faces escalating ethical, regulatory, conservation and economic hurdles, and does not align with global conservation trends,” the statement read.

The notice came on the heels of a task team report, started under the previous minister of the department, Barbara Creecy, which recommended voluntary exit options from the captive lion industry and an end to the stockpiling of lion bones and derivatives, including carcasses, skins, teeth and claws.