URGENT: Stop the Export of 800 Lion Skeletons from South Africa to Asia

UPDATE 25.11.17:

Future4Wildlife.org has delivered the petition.

WE THANK THE 118.000 SUPPORTERS!

We have sent the petition to Mrs Andersen, Director General (IUCN), to Mr. Tjiane Deputy Director of the CITES Policy Development and Implementation Biodiversity and Conservation South Africa, to Ms Boshoff, Department of Environmental Affairs SA and in copy, on November 24^th, to Mrs Pfab of the South African Scientific Authority (SAMBI) and to the South African professional hunters association (PHASA).

Such export quota was, in 2017, supportive and functional for the captive lion breeding industry, which is once more under fire, after the South Africa’s professional hunting association, PHASA, caused a split in the hunter’s community due their AGM`s vote in favour of hunting captive bred lions.   Several board members of PHASA, as well as founding fathers and past presidents resigned in protest and the Operators and Professional Hunters’ Associations of Africa (OPHAA) withdrew yesterday and suspended PHASA’s membership indefinitely, as well as many sponsors and hunting travel agencies.

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/industry-body-in-the-crosshairs-over-captive-bred-lion-hunting-reversal-20171124

http://www.tourismupdate.co.za/article/128854/Industry-condemns-Phasa-for-approving-canned-wildlife-hunting

https://m.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/hunting-associations-president-resigns-over-captive-lion-hunting-20170523

http://www.cannedlion.org/blog/canned-lion-hunting-splits-hunters

UPDATE 4 OCTOBER 2017:

BEFORE A NEW QUOTA WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR 2018, WE WILL DELIVER THIS PETITION TO THE CITES SECRETARIAT, Mr JOHN SCANLON AND TO THE IUCN DIRECTOR GENERAL, Mrs INGER ANDERSEN

The South African Government has approved a yearly export quota for 800 lion skeletons to trade from South Africa to Asia, starting from 2017 and renewable in 2018.

Every year 800 lions will be killed and taken from the shameful captive breeding industry. This is a way to feed this private industry and business which are in decline due to public opposition.

Several studies suggest that any trade linked to lion farming negatively impacts on the declining wild lion population. In fact, how can lion bones from captive lions be distinguished from those of wild lions and what processes need to be in place to prevent leakage from illegal sources to legal ones? Is the SA State in possess of adequate studies to confirm that this trade will not be detrimental for the wild lion population as requested at the CITES 17 for all species listed in Appendix II, Article IV?

We are afraid there are not sufficient rules in place to avoid wild lion bones to be mistaken and trafficked instead of captive lion bones.

We are afraid DEA has insufficient data on how the industry operates, who the breeders, bone traders are, how many lions are in the industry and how many “facilities” there are. The industry would be, in essence, left free to operate and the threat for the lion wild population, in this conditions is HUGE.

We fear the ethic and the corruption in the system of the lion captive breeding facilities.

We are aware this kind of farming doesn’t respect the Animal Welfare standards.

We are aware the State is currently not in possess of adequate studies to confirm the trade will not be detrimental for the wild lion population. These studies should also indicate how to safely proceed with strategies and rules to regulate the trade and captive lion farming. This was formally requested at the CITES 17: Export Permit Shall only be granted for Appendix II species when a scientific authority of the State will advise that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species.

We ask CITES AND IUCN to investigate on which data has the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, determined such quota.

PLEASE SIGN!

References and Press:

Article . Traveller 24 News: South African Public, No Time To Contest http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/Green/sa-public-has-no-time-to-contest-annual-quota-of-800-lions-bones-20170130

Article . Centre for Environmental Rights: Effects of the proposed Lion Bone Export Quota http://cer.org.za/news/many-questions-about-deas-proposed-captive-lion-bone-export-quota

Article . National Geographic: South Africa’s Lion Bone Trade Disastrous for Wild Tiger Population http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2017/01/25/south-africas-lion-bone-trade-disastrous-for-wild-tigers/

Article . Africa News Network: Uproar at SA’s plan to export lion bones for tiger wine http://www.ann7.com/uproar-at-sas-plan-to-export-lion-bones-for-tiger-wine/

Article . Africa Geographic: A decision Under Fire http://africageographic.com/blog/sanbi-institutes-export-quota-for-800-captive-bred-lion-skeletons/

Article . Diamond Trust Bank: Bone Trade Unspeakably Cruel http://www.coastweek.com/4003-In-South-Africa-800-lions-for-controversial-canned-hunting-industry.htm

Article . The London Economic: Heinous trade threatens beleaguered wild lions http://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/south-africa-approve-international-trade-800-lions-controversial-canned-hunting-industry/24/01/

Article . SABC: DEA Making a Grave Error http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/13f746804fe0979bbf34bfb6fc9b345f/Zero-confidence-in-SA%E2%80%99s-lion-farming--&-lion-bone-trade-20172901Zero-confidence-in-SA%E2%80%99s-lion-farming--&-lion-bone-trade-20172901

Article . Traveller 24 News: Export, misguided and shameful http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/Green/shockwildlifetruths-call-to-stop-legal-exporting-of-800-captive-bred-lion-skeletons-20170120

Article . Express UK: Fury over Lion Export Quota from SA http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/756774/lion-skeletons-far-east-conservationists-medicines-south-africa

Article . IOL News: No regulations in the Captive Lion Industry, No Control in the Bone Trade http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/plan-for-export-of-800-lion-skeletons-7501240

Article . WA News: South Africa`s Lion Bone Export http://worldanimalnews.com/south-africa-intends-export-800-lion-skeletons-sourced-canned-hunting-industry/

Article . One GP Org: Export Quota Spells Disaster http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/south-africas-lion-skeleton-quota/

Article . MRCVS UK: South African Export Quota could threaten Wild Lions http://mrcvs.co.uk/en/news/15398/South-African-export-quota-'could-threaten-wild-lions'

Article . The Dodo: Condition of Lions in South African Lion Breeding Facilities: No regulation https://www.thedodo.com/starving-lions-south-africa-1919508535.html

Article . Humane Society International: Lion Bone Export Quota under Fire http://www.hsi.org/news/press_releases/2017/01/south-africa-lion-skeleton-exports-011917.html

Article . Daily Tourism Update: Under Fire: The conditions to establish Export Quota are not clear http://www.tourismupdate.co.za/article/118312/South-Africa-s-lion-bone-export-quota-under-fire

Article . CP Animal Advocacy: The Lion Bone Trade http://cecilspridenews.com/index.php/2017/01/27/800-skeletons-captive-produced-lion-bone-trade-quota-system/

Article . East Coast Radio: Warning SA Quota will affect Wild Population https://www.ecr.co.za/news/news/sa-warned-over-export-of-lion-skeletons/

Article . Environmental Investigation: Detrimental for Wild Lion and Tiger Population https://eia-international.org/south-africas-lion-bone-trade-disastrous-for-wild-tigers

Article . Humane Society Org: How is South Africa Cashing Up http://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2017/01/south-africas-lion-hunting-industry-wants-start-global-trade-lion-bones.html

Article: Blood Lions: A request for Zero Quota https://www.facebook.com/notes/blood-lions/press-release-hsiblood-lions-joint-statement-regarding-800-lion-skeleton-export-/1183955228385505

Article . Conservation Action Trust: SAs Export Plan https://conservationaction.co.za/media-articles/sas-plan-export-800-lion-skeletons-misguided-shameful/

Petitions colleting comments from the public, nationally and internationally:

Humane Society International https://action.hsi.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=62370&ea.tracking.id=sharefb

Care2: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/959/052/321/we-object-to-the-south-african-dea-proposed-lion-bone-quota/?taf_id=33126256&cid=fb_na#bbfb=428088305

Change Org: https://forcechange.com/165135/stop-killing-lions-and-exporting-their-bones/

Poll: http://focusingonwildlife.com/news/poll-should-the-trade-in-captive-lions-and-their-bones-be-stopped/