As a staunch supporter of lions, and as a member of African Wildlife Foundation's community of wildlife advocates, I ask that you strictly enforce wildlife laws to put an end to the lion bone trade, once and for all.
With tiger populations dwindling drastically, lions are now increasingly being targeted for their bones and parts as a replacement. The bones of these majestic predators are being ground into traditional medicine and wine, and their claws and teeth are fashioned into jewelry.
The slaughter of these majestic creatures continues at an alarming rate, especially after the incident in November 2018 where 40 lions were killed in 48 hours by Vietnamese poachers.
Vietnam's seizure of three tons of lion bones in one shipment in July 2021 is an encouraging sign of progress in the fight to shut down the illegal lion bone trade. I urge Vietnam to strengthen this enforcement and continue to put pressure on unscrupulous wildlife traffickers before it's too late for this vulnerable big cat.
Africa's lion populations have already been decimated by over 40 percent in two decades. Just in March 2021, poachers poisoned and dismembered six lions in one tragic incident. We can't afford to lose any more of these big cats to the illegal wildlife trade.
The time to act is now. Vietnam's July 2020 ban on wildlife imports due to COVID-19 risks is a step forward, but this is not a long-term plan to address the root causes of the trade. Vietnam must be vigilant to ensure that wildlife laws are followed and organized wildlife criminals aren't let off with light sentences – so the killing can stop. We hope you will join us to protect this iconic species from extinction.
