Is South Africa backtracking on lion breeding & canned hunting?
Born Free warns against any reversal of the phasing out of South Africa’s captive lion breeding industry.
(c) georgelogan.co.uk
Over recent decades, Born Free has campaigned alongside many others to bring an end to the cruel and exploitative captive lion breeding industry in South Africa.
According to the government’s own Ministerial Task Team, in 2023 there were around 8,000 lions in some 350 privately owned captive breeding facilities across the country. These animals are exploited for profit at every stage of their lives: as photo props for tourists; for ‘walking with lions’ opportunities; as intensive breeding stock; and ultimately to supply live animals for so-called ‘canned hunting’ and skeletons for the international lion bone trade.
In 2018, we presented our case directly to the South African Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs in Cape Town, and released our report ‘Cash Before Conservation’ which exposed in detail the cruel exploitation of captive lions for canned hunting and the bone trade.
In 2019, we released our compelling and award-winning short film ‘The Bitter Bond’ highlighting the cynical use of captive-bred lions for canned hunting.
In October 2020 we submitted a petition to the South African government containing almost a quarter of a million signatures, calling on authorities in South Africa to close down the industry once and for all. We have provided detailed evidence to the numerous consultations that have taken place since.
We were therefore delighted to reveal in April 2024 that South Africa’s Cabinet had approved a national policy position calling for the responsible, lawful, and humane closure of the industry.
However, this hard-won decision to end this vile industry may be under threat, as the new Minister of Environment is reported to be reviewing the planned closure.
Any reversal or delay would not only prolong the suffering of thousands of lions kept in unnatural, exploitative conditions – it would also strike at the heart of South Africa’s global reputation and the economic engine of its tourism sector.
Public polling supports captive lion breeding ban
Recent polling across key international tourism markets, commissioned by Blood Lions and World Animal Protection, shows a strong level of public concern about captive lion breeding.
The polls reveal that:
- 70% of international tourists from South Africa’s key tourist markets in the USA, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands would be deterred from visiting South Africa if the industry persists
- 69% believe it would damage the country’s reputation as a responsible wildlife destination
- 77% – want the South African government to prioritise wildlife-friendly tourism over exploitative practices
These are not marginal opinions; they represent mainstream sentiment in the very markets South Africa relies on for high-value tourism.
Domestic attitudes mirror this trend:
- Two-thirds of South Africans (66%) view captive lion breeding as unethical
- 72% favour wildlife-friendly tourism over industries that exploit wild animals
- 57% believe that a full ban would make South Africa more attractive and economically competitive
The economic implications are stark. Based on 2025 tourism data, maintaining or reinstating the captive lion industry could deter nearly 860,000 international tourists from just four major source markets. That loss could translate into around 66,000 tourism jobs – a devastating blow to a sector that far outweighs the roughly 2,000 jobs linked to captive lion breeding. The numbers clearly show that the industry is not only ethically indefensible, but also economically unsound.
South Africa has an opportunity to lead the world by demonstrating its ability to align tourism with ethical conservation and long-term ecological sustainability. Reversing the phase-out of the captive lion breeding industry would undermine years of progress, alienate both domestic and international visitors, and jeopardise the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people who depend on a thriving, responsible tourism sector.
Born Free is signatory to a letter to the President and Ministers, urging the South African government to continue to pursue the phasing out of the captive lion breeding industry without delay, as mandated by the Cabinet.
The public, both in South Africa and abroad, has clearly spoken – the future lies not in commodifying lions for the financial benefit of the few, but in protecting lions in the wild where they belong and where they can be admired by the many.