With the official approval on 24 April 2024 of the new 'Policy Position on the Conservation and Sustainable use of the Elephant, Lions, Leopard, and Rhinoceros' by the SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT and the consequent approval also of the Ministerial Task Team's Report to identify and recommend voluntary exit and pathways for the captive lion industry - the already dwindeling lion population numbers in Africa seems doomed.
This threat facing Africa's lions and its predicted extinction in the 'wild' have been publicly reported (and predicted) already for years by various international scientists and even governments.
In an alarming study published in 2015 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ,
the authors and lion specialist scientists stated that:
'Many lion populations are either now gone or expected to disappear within the next few decades to the extent that the intensively managed populations in southern Africa may soon supersede the iconic savannah landscapes in East Africa as the most successful sites for lion conservation. The rapid disappearance of lions suggests a major trophic downgrading of African ecosystems with the lion no longer playing a pivotal role as apex predator '.
Nevertheless, the South African Government officially approved a ...
'Policy Position that will provide policy certainty and strategic impact through:
(1) Closure of the captive lion industry, enhanced global reputation, and a stimulated biodiversity based tourism industry'
- ( ... NOT 'lion or environmental conservation' .. ?!)
In the process, the SA Government also accepted and approved their Ministerial Task Team's Report and recommendations that clearly states that the 'Mandatory Prerequesites' for this first phase of 'closing the captive lion industry' offers only two options:
- A. Humane euthanasia of compromised lions
- B. Population control preferably by surgical sterilisation
Disturbing Extract from Voluntary Exit Report ...
The 'Report recommendations' clearly emphasise that the most viable option for 'closing of the captive lion industry' is through the 'preferred ethical and humane method of euthanasia' and 'responsible carcass disposal' ... according to 'a set of best practice protocols that have been meticulously formulated by experts to offer necessary guidance required at each juncture of the process'.
The SA Government's approved 'Report' further state that: 'in implementing the identified actions, this will result in closure of the captive lion industry, enhanced global reputation, and a stimulated biodiversity-based tourism industry' - (NO mentioning of any 'lion conservation contribution' !?).
According to the IUCN Red List Data:
- lions in Africa decreased with more than 30% in numbers and lost 36% in habitat range since 2015 - that is over a period of less than one decade - with an estimated extinction in the wild in Africa by 2050 or earlier!
- Captive Lions in South Africa comprise 80% of all lions in South Africa and more than 56% of the lions in Africa!
The BIG QUESTION:
HOW can we allow the 'humane euthanasia' and 'responsible carcass disposal' and/or 'surgical sterilisation' of 80% of South Africa's lions while lions are speeding towards extinction in their rapid diminishing 'wild' habitat range in AFRICA (less than 3% of their original range)!!!Based on the above very short summary, the main goal of the Lion Genetic Rescue Project (LGRP) is to at least salvage/rescue as much as possible captive lion genetic and reproductive biomaterial and biodata to compile a comprehensive lion biodata record and biodata repository for future utilisation in lion research and conservation.
Please feel free to contact us if you want to contribute, support and/or get involved with this massive undertaking.