The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is calling people to voluntarily exit the Captive Lion Industry, by surrendering their stockpiles of bones and derivatives.
In December 2022, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, under section 3A of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998) (NEMA), appointed a Ministerial Task Team to identify and recommend voluntary exit options and pathways from the captive lion industry.
Recommendations, dated 15 February 2024, were submitted to the minister and the report was released to the public on 03 April 2024.
The minister re-appointed some of the Ministerial Task Team members, to facilitate the implementation of the outcomes of the report. The Terms of Reference were published under Government Notice No 4765, Government Gazette No. 50574 of 26 April 2024.
The report recommended voluntary exit options from the captive lion industry, including options involving lion bone stockpiles and derivatives (whole lion carcasses, skeletons, skins, teeth, claws and other parts).
It also recommended the implementation of a programme to acquire and legally dispose of legal lion bone stockpiles, for facilities that comply with voluntary exit requirements outlined in the report.
The Department also said it would facilitate the acquisition of legal lion bones stockpiles through a contractual agreement between the volunteering legal lion bone owners and any third parties to the agreement.
Parties with live captive lions willing to voluntarily register for this programme, will be required to sterilise their lions, refrain from acquiring or accepting any additional live captive lions, and ensure the maintenance of welfare and well-being standards for the lions in their care.
Parties to the voluntary exit programme will be required to apply for the necessary TOPS permits.
The Minister, Dr Dion George, has invited persons who wish to consider the voluntary exit options involving lion bones and derivatives, to register their interest by submitting their details using the contacts provided.
All information provided will be treated confidentially, and registration does not constitute any obligation to proceed with voluntary exit options.
More information is available on the DFFE website and contact details are : lionstockpile@dffe.gov.za
Picture: OIPA