![lion in cage lion in cage](https://media.4-paws.org/7/f/5/7/7f57fd4ebcda89d3cf20d81fd454b9a379b31967/VIER%20PFOTEN_2019-05-07_051-2311x1600-1920x1329.jpg)
South Africa’s Captive Big Cat Industry
FOUR PAWS is fighting to end the captive breeding and keeping of lions and other big cats for commercial purposes.
South Africa’s captive big cat industry exploits animals for commercial purposes, often under the guise of conservation. The industry has expanded across the country, unregulated, in the last few decades. It is estimated there are more than 300 facilities that breed and keep an estimated 10,000 lions in captivity, more than 600 tigers, and countless other species such as cheetahs, leopards, caracals and even cross breeds.
The country is the biggest global exporter of live big cats and their parts from anywhere in the world. It sources animals for the exotic pet industry, for tourist attractions, zoos, private establishments and circuses. It sources big cat parts to be used as trophies, luxury goods items and even for use in traditional medicine. The industry exploits captive big cats and threatens wild populations, by contributing to the demand for live animals and their parts. In addition, the legal trade of big cats and their parts acts as a conduit for the illegal trade.
The South African Department for Forestry, Fisheries and Environment is working towards the implementation of a voluntary exit from the captive lion breeding industry. However, this will take time and in the interim many thousands of animals continue to be kept in inappropriate keeping conditions for commercial purposes. Understanding the industry is imperative for people to know how to avoid exacerbating the problem and how to support the protection of big cats.
If you would like to read more about the current status of the voluntary exit, please read: “One step closer to ending the captive lion breeding industry”.
![Sudan Lions Sudan lions before coming to LIONSROCK](https://media.4-paws.org/6/2/d/8/62d8f43a715532c565ec4e8c0c586f320d5813d5/VIER%20PFOTEN_2023-11-21_00027.jpg)
The Vicious Cycle
When a cub is born in a captive facility, they are often removed from their mother within a matter of days to allow them to be bottle-fed by visitors under the guise of being abandoned. This also enables the mother to be impregnated again and give birth to another litter as soon as possible. Throughout their infancy, cubs are subjected to being handled and petted by visitors. This prevents them from developing natural behaviours, ensuring they will never be released into the wild – no matter what the facility says.
As the cubs grow older, they may be used in ‘walk-with’ or selfie opportunities. In order to prevent the development of natural hunting instincts that might harm tourists, sticks are often used against the animals.
Welfare Concerns
This industry is based on profit, not conservation. This means that animal welfare is not a priority and many of the facilities in which big cats are kept in, are largely unregulated and the well-documented inappropriate keeping conditions range from enclosures that are too small, poor nutrition, lack of medical care, these result in unnatural behaviours, the spread of zoonotic disease, distress and even physical deformities.
Additionally, exploitation and cruelty is not always obvious. Though an animal may look well-fed, be free from injury and not diseased, establishments that allow interactions between people and big cats are a clear sign they are not bred or kept for conservation purposes, meaning they will be kept in captivity for the rest of their life for money, before they are sold on for other purposes or even killed for their parts.
Commercial Trade
South Africa exports live big cats to countries around the world for the exotic pet industry such as in the Middle East, for tourist attractions locally, both for licensed and more unscrupulous zoos, to private establishments and circuses. Live animals may even be shipped to other countries just to be killed for their parts in the destination country to evade trade restrictions. Some animals are trophy hunted in South Africa, for the parts to be kept as trophies in places like the US, UK and Europe, or as luxury goods items and even for use in traditional medicine in parts of South East Asia.
Due to an increasing demand for big cats and their parts, there is a convergence in the trade of big cat species, where species are used interchangeably for these nefarious purposes. This means all big cat species are threatened by commercial trade.
![Lions and tigers mixed Lions and tigers mixed](https://media.4-paws.org/9/7/0/5/970529b716c4a3728856652e42ee301ed30967d2/VIER%20PFOTEN_2023-03-21_00050-3079x2053.jpg)
Welfare Concerns
In addition to the cruelty and exploitation suffered by lions and other big cats through trophy hunting and the bone trade, serious welfare concerns persist around the conditions the cats are kept in. The bone trade means a profit can be made from the animals regardless of their health, so there is incentive to keep animals in high standards of welfare. The facilities in which big cats are kept in largely unregulated and inappropriate conditions such as enclosures that are too small, poor nutrition, lack of medical care, result in unnatural behaviours, the spread of zoonotic disease, distress and even physical deformities.
We must take action now to ban the keeping and breeding of big cats in unregulated captive facilities in South Africa. Establishments that allow interaction with big cats are not driven by conservation. Cats that have been handled frequently will not be released into the wild, they will only continue to be exploited in captivity.
HOW YOU CAN HELP BIG CATS?
To Do:
- Visit a ‘true sanctuary’, one that does not breed animals, nor trade animals for profit or allow public contact with animals. Visit our list of True Sanctuaries here.
- Enjoy wild animals in their natural habitat rather than in captivity where possible.
- Think about what you are buying, avoiding souvenirs made from animals.
- Do your research! Make sure you read testimonials and reviews of others who have visited an establishment to make sure there are no welfare concerns.
- If you see animals in captivity without access to shade, water, food, space to roam, or in overcrowded and dirty facilities, please contact your local SPCA immediately.
To Avoid
- Avoid facilities that allow interactions with big cats, including cub petting, bottle feeding, taking photos with big cats and walk-with opportunities.
- Avoid facilities that allow feeding of wild animals or activities such as animal shows or performances, selfie opportunities,
- Do not participate in trophy hunting.
- Don’t put yourself at risk! Big cats, and other wild animal species are unpredictable and direct contact with such species poses a high risk to people.
Remember, if you can touch or take a photo with a wild animal up close and personal, it is being used for commercial purposes and will not be released into the wild – no matter what the facility tells you.
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