DEA SOUTH AFRICA: THIS IS A PUBLIC COMMENT, 800 LION BONE EXPORT QUOTA CONTRADICTS THE ARTICLE IV OF CITES. REVIEW!

After the US have banned the import of lion body parts, the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, has proposed to permit the annual export of 800 lion skeletons to manufacturers of fake tiger wine in China, in an effort to support the canned lion hunting industry.
The proposal is misguided and shameful; breeding captive lions is not only cruel and contrary to the global shift against captive wildlife, but is a potential threat to wild lions, as pointed out by many top conservation leaders worldwide.
On January the 25th 2017, the SA Government has invited the public to make written submissions on the proposed 800 lion export quota but has set the deadline already on the 2nd of February, giving only 9 days to the national and international community to object.
First of all we demand an extension of this time limit!
Secondarily, we object to similar proposal: if the trade of captive lions represent an indirect threat to the wild lion’s population, then allowing any export quota from the captive lions industry contradicts the resolutions taken by CITES 2017:
“The South African population of Panthera Leo (African lion) is included in Appendix II of CITES. In terms of Article IV of the Convention, an export permit shall only be granted for an Appendix II species when a Scientific Authority of the State of export has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species.”
SUCH DATA ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT.
At the meeting in Pretoria on the 18th of Jan, DEA did not have 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. DEA would leave this totally up to the industry itself which would be, in essence, self-policed. The threat for the lion wild population, in this conditions is HUGE.
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) will initiate a three years study to monitor the lion bone trade in South Africa. The study will aim to increase the understanding of the lion bone trade in South Africa and the captive lion breeding industry, and will investigate how the trade in captive produced lion bone under a quota system affects wild lion populations.
It will also strengthen the evidence base for the annual review of the quota in order to ensure it is sustainable and not detrimental to wild populations.
Until then, A ZERO QUOTA CAN BE PERMITTED, AS ESTABLISHED BY THE CONVENTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES (CITES 17).
PLEASE SIGN THIS PUBLIC COMMENT!