Hello animal lovers,
Below you’ll find a press release regarding the upcoming Global March for Lions. I have also included an info sheet and poster. Please share widely. It’s important for people globally to understand how they support (often inadvertently) this heinous trade.
If you can, please join the Global March for Lions in Vancouver or in a city near you. There are marches all over the world. Find your city here. Additional and important information can be found here and here.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tessa Vanderkop
GlobalMarch4LionsYVR@gmail.com
VANCOUVER, BC
On March 15th, 2014 40 cities around the world will march to raise awareness of the plight of South Africa’s lions and to shed light on the “canned lion” hunting industry.
Canned hunting is a practice that is legal in South Africa, where lions are bred in captivity, hand reared for use in the cub petting industry, and when they’re grown and have become accustomed to human contact, are killed in an enclosure often drugged, for an enormous sum of money.
The goals of the global march are to ask the South African government to ban canned hunting; to have lions moved to the Endangered Species list; to stop the export of lion bones to China and to prohibit the import of lion trophies to USA and EU. People around the world are calling for the South African government to ban canned hunting.
The goal for the march in Vancouver is to raise awareness amongst Canadian travellers to South Africa that any time they take part as volunteers at ‘sanctuaries’ or ‘lion conservation projects” where cubs are bred and they’re encouraged to hand feed or interact with cubs or young lions, they are supporting an inhumane and cruel industry where lions are born, bred and killed in captivity. Vancouver march organizer Catherine Albertson says,
“Canadian tourists need to be aware that this highly lucrative, multi-faceted canned hunting industry is driven by demand, and part of that demand is the desire to interact with lions. This fuels the continual supply of cubs for international volunteers to hand raise and does nothing to support the wild lion population; this is a business and these lions are bred for the sole purpose of bringing is as much money, in as many ways, as possible. The African Lion is an iconic species, one that has inspired and touched the hearts of humankind throughout history.
We in Vancouver may seem far-removed from the plight of the lion in South Africa, but the decisions we make as Canadian travellers do make a difference. By joining in the Global March for Lions, we hope to raise awareness of the “life cycle” of captive bred lions, cease the unknowing international support, and assist South Africa in re-instating a ban against the canned trophy hunting of these essentially tamed lions.”
The demand for lion bones is posing an increased threat to wild lions of which only 20,000 remain. Lions will be extinct in less than twenty years if action is not taken today.
Global marches are in support of Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH) and the work they do.
March Details
Date: March 15th, 2014
Time: 11:00 am
Place: Vancouver Art Gallery (North Side)
Visit: www.globalmarch4lions.org for Global March details
Join the march on Facebook
About Campaign Against Canned Hunting(CACH)
From the publication and distribution of their textbook ‘Canned Lion Hunting – a National Disgrace’ at the turn of the new millenium, Chris and Bev have become part of the conservation and animal welfare landscape in South Africa. Now formally structured as a registered wildlife charity, Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH) is at the forefront of efforts to expose the harm being done by an industry whose whole business model is to make egregious cruelty to helpless animals, routine.
About Global March for Lions
On the 15th March 2014, – people in over 50 cities across the globe are marching to save lions.
The aim of the march is to raise awareness around the industry of “canned hunting”.
For a complete list of participating cities click here.
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BACKGROUNDER
CANNED HUNTING IN SOUTH AFRICA
Canned hunting is the lion farmer and trophy collector’s substitute for real hunting. It is defined as any hunt where the target animal is unfairly prevented from escaping the hunter, either by physical constraints (fencing ) or by mental constraints (hand reared, habituated to humans).
By definition, all hunts of captive – bred lions are canned hunts.
FACTS:
- Numbers of lions being captive-bred in S.A. are growing by the day. Latest estimate; 8000 – nearly three times more than the number of wild lions in S.A. Reserves, that number less than 3000.
- Foreign hunters are mostly from U.S.A. (+/-55%) or Europe (+/-40%)
- Lion farming does not fall under the Department of Agriculture but the Supreme Court has ruled that it has nothing to do with conservation, so it cannot be regulated by conservation officials either. Lion farming thus falls between two government departments. In consequence, captive predators bred for hunting purposes have no regulatory protection.
- Lion Bones are sold to known Asian crime syndicates who pay lion farmers US$1,000 for a lion carcass, which is processed in Asia and then fraudulently sold as tiger bone cake for US$70,000 per carcass (US$1000 per 100 grams).
- Approx 1,000 lions are canned hunted annually in S.A. – about 3 per day. (same as the number of poached Rhino)
WHY SHOULD THIS INDUSTRY BE BANNED?
- It is cruel. The whole business model is based on cruelty to helpless animals from birth until death. Bow hunting of tame lions is permitted in some provinces. Imagine the public outcry if farmers allowed hunters to come on to livestock farms and shoot sheep and cattle for sport?
- It is a massive and increasing threat to the survival of wild lion populations in Africa. The astronomical profits being made by the Asian profiteers out of lion bones are stimulating an increase in the price of lion bone, which will, in turn, stimulate an increase in the poaching of lions for their bones.
- This affects all lions, although it is especially an issue for the White Lions. Many lion farmers resort to inbreeding to produce a desired feature – such as that of a white coat. These breeding practices often result in severe birth defects such as hind-limb paralysis and heart problems.
- Unscrupulous S.A. lion breeders will buy ‘fresh cubs’ to bring fresh blood in to their lion stock for genetic reasons, and to ward off captivity depression. This wholesale and unscientific killing of lions has long term effects on wild prides, destroying the core pride function. Research shows that it can take as long as seven years for a lion pride to re-establish itself after the death of the trophy male.
CITES records of Trophy Hunting Imports into Canada
2007 — 8 lion trophy exports from SA to Canada (7 captive bred and 1 ‘wild’)
2008 — 20 lion trophy exports from SA to Canada (16 captive bred and 4 ‘wild’)
2009 — 23 lion trophy exports from SA to Canada (15 captive bred and 8 ‘wild’)
2010 — 7 lion trophy exports from SA to Canada (all captive bred)
2011 — 6 lion trophy exports from SA to Canada (all captive bred)
Condofire 