Canned Hunting

Help us stop the slaughter so that we keep our animals
ALIVE NOT DEAD

4th July 2002

By the Wildlife Sanctuary Community of South Africa

MYTH 1.
The captive lion breeders call themselves conservationists. They profess to be preserving lions for posterity on the basis “if it pays it stays” and they say that affording protection to lions by placing it on CITES 1 could well mean the end of the African Lion. What’s more, they now want to do the same thing with leopard and cheetah.

Answer: Raping our genetically diverse wild lion population in order to incarcerate the victims in brutal captive breeding facilities where they become genetically weakened and depressed is not only anti-conservation but also a violation of our international obligations under the Biodiversity Convention and our new Biodiversity Act (to be passed into law shortly). Lions are listed in Appendix II of CITES.

MYTH 2.
They say that breeding lions is no different to any other animal-breeding program, such as stud farming with cattle, horses or sheep. The males and females eventually become uneconomical and will be disposed of “in one way or another.”

Answer: Yes, but we have not noticed the stud-breeders chasing their cattle and sheep around the field blasting away at them with guns. If an elderly lion has to be put down for ill health, rather let the Vet dart and euthanase him humanely.

MYTH 3.
Dr. Felthus Brandt of the Limpopo Province, one of the many Nature Conservation officials who have fostered hunting, says that the industry benefits South Africa financially, and that it generates 150 million Rands annually in his province alone.

Answer: Where does all this money go? It is not going into conservation. There are no bold conservation ventures being funded by the captive lion breeders. Nor does it go to the surrounding communities, as does money generated by eco-tourism. Nor does it provide enhancement of job quality for previously disadvantaged South Africans.

Does it go in taxes? We doubt it. It would be very interesting to compare the amount of taxes paid by the breeders in Dr Brandt’s province, with the stated income of 150 million.

And what about the potential of this industry to drain money out of the country? This industry presents unique opportunities to intercept millions of dollars in foreign currency and keep those funds outside South Africa.

How much money earned on the back of cruelty to sentient beings ends up conserving the ski slopes in Switzerland? Who does this industry really benefit?

MYTH 4.
Lion Breeders say Sanctuaries and Rehabilitation Centres should be prohibited.

Answer: Where else can a wandering lion who presents a risk to people and stock be removed to? In a reputable sanctuary supervised by the animal welfare community of South Africa, the lion can find care and protection. From there he can later be released if suitable wilderness can be found. No breeding in captivity or other exploitation of the animal is allowed in such a sanctuary. Sanctuaries have a legal right to exist under Section 2 (4) (f) of National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998.

MYTH 5.
The nature conservation officials who worked overtime to produce the policy document, which proposes to legitimate canned hunting, now say that it is only a ‘discussion document.’

Answer: For discussion by whom? The public at large or only those who can be trusted to advance the financial interests of the hunting fraternity? Why was this policy document put together by the officials and canned lion breeders exclusively? Why was it held back from the animal welfare community and circulated secretly only to the provincial nature conservationists for whom hunting and conservation are synonymous? This case exposes a possible new tactic by certain nature conservation officials. In order to get around the Section 2 principles of the new National Environmental Management Act, 107 of 1998, which are designed to democratize nature conservation in South Africa, the officials can secretly prepare such policy documents, circulate the policies amongst themselves, implement them, and then, if any citizen complains, fall back on the plausible lie that the offending policy is ‘only a discussion document’.

Conclusion.
Canned lion hunting is the illegitimate child of some delinquent provincial conservation officials and the proposed policy document by the Limpopo province authority is an attempt to legitimate their creation. This illegal industry could never have mushroomed to the extent of 2,500 lions in captivity without the active support of provincial nature conservation officials. We will never succeed in abolishing canned lion hunting until we also abolish or transform the relevant provincial nature conservation departments. The protection and cronyism is just too strong.

WHAT THE PUBLIC CAN DO.

1. Send letters to the addresses below calling upon government to close down the brutal captive lion breeding and canned lion hunting industry.

2. With the World Conference on Sustainable Development due to take place in South Africa in August 2002 we need to bring this to international attention: IS THIS WHAT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS ALL ABOUT? The Biodiversity Convention to which South Africa is also a signatory is clearly incompatible with the genetic depletion caused by captive breeding on such a massive scale. Delegates to the Summit need to be made aware of what is really going on.

3. Please contribute to a legal fund, which has been established to take legal proceedings to compel government to close the whole canned lion hunting, and breeding industry down.

Fund Details: email info@raptor.co.za for details.

PLEASE now take a moment to express your disgust at this evil exploitation of our lions. If we are to make a difference write to the following: -

Sample Letter:

Dear Honorable Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa:

I am writing to urge you to support legislation to ban “canned” trophy hunting in South Africa. I also urge you to ban the exhibition of all wild animals in public arenas with immediate effect and to put a moratorium in place on the captive breeding of all big cats.

“Canned hunting” is the cowardly practice of killing captive animals in enclosed areas. The animals used in a canned hunt are generally hand fed and familiar with people; therefore, they do not show the natural tendency to flee from humans. These animals are tame targets. In addition, baiting and confining the animals in fenced areas guarantees the hunters a kill. Typically, these hunts are for the wealthy because of the high price tag placed on each “guaranteed” kill/ trophy. This type of hunting shows an extreme lack of respect for life and compassion for the dignity of these animals.

Even pro-hunting organizations, such as the Safari Club International and the Professional Hunters Association of South Africa, condemn canned hunts. As the element of "fair chase" in hunting does not apply to canned hunts since the animals have no chance of escape, the vast majority of hunters view these hunts as unsporting slaughter, not “sport.”

In addition, these exotic and native animals (lion, tiger, cheetah, jaguar, etc.) are listed as Endangered and/or Vulnerable by the World Conservation Union and fall under Appendix I or II on the CITES list. Furthermore, they are generally purchased from animal dealers, zoos or circuses, who have bred these animals in captivity. This indiscriminate captive breeding must be controlled to solve the surplus problem as soon as possible. A moratorium on the captive breeding of all big cats will effectively end the practice of canned hunting.

Please take a stand against this cruel and unethical industry by supporting the call for legislation to be created so that no wildlife previously captured, captive-bred or captive-raised can be hunted in the provinces of South Africa. The public is disgusted by these activities and wants them outlawed.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Yours truly,

The ANC (Ruling party in South Africa) info@anc.org.za
Minister for the Environment - Valli Moosa
frogers@iafrica.com
pbaloyi@ozone.pwv.gov.za
tabane@iafrica.com

Northern Province Nature Conservation Officials brandtf@finptb.norprov.gov.za
mashlangue@finptb.norprov.gov.za

The Secretariat for Biodiversity Convention secretariat@biodiv.org

The Secretariat for CITES Convention cites@unep.ch

Your own local media, and any person or organisation who you think can help.

Your own national and non-government orgs who will be attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.