The Risk of Captive Carnivores

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Endangered Wildlife Trust, 9th July 2015

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is growing increasingly concerned about the proliferation of captive facilities holding a range of carnivores in South Africa for the sole purpose of tourism and financial gain. We urge the public to consider a few facts when visiting any of a number of these facilities that hold lions, Cheetah, Leopards, Wild Dogs, hyena and even some exotic (non-native to South Africa) species such as tigers and panthers.
  • No captive carnivore facility is breeding carnivores for release into the wild, despite what they may claim. Captive carnivores do not contribute to the conservation of free roaming populations; they are not releasable and they do not form part of any registered conservation or management plan for any carnivore in Africa.
  • In many carnivore facilities, petting and bottle feeding of cubs is offered, for a fee. These cubs are often taken away from their mothers to stimulate faster reproduction and provide a constant supply of petting carnivores. Visitors pay to pet the animal and have their photograph taken with it, as well as with their slightly older tame carnivore siblings.
  • These carnivores become human imprinted, they do not grow up in a natural social group, and this makes it impossible to release them into a natural habitat for the long-term. This, coupled with the disease risk posed by captive bred animals, as well as their potentially dubious genetic lineage renders them a risk for release to not only themselves, but to other free roaming carnivores.
  • Frequently the situation of a ‘paying volunteer’ is exploited for further financial gain, with volunteers being told that the carnivore mothers are not able to care for their offspring and that once they are old enough, hand-raised carnivores will be returned to the wild.
  • "There are approximately 6 000 captive lions in South Africa bred for a variety of economic purposes", as opposed to approximately 2 300 free roaming in reserves and parks. [Draft Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) for Lions, 2015]. In fact the BMP defines Captive Lions as being "lions [that] are bred exclusively to generate money. Managers actively manipulate all vital rates and demographics."
The EWT’s concern relates to the public’s understanding of the role and the purpose of captive carnivores and these facilities in carnivore conservation and we urge the public to better understand the role of these facilities as well as the risk that these animals may pose to the public:
  • Captive bred carnivores are always more dangerous than their wild counterparts. They lose their fear of humans and tend to associate humans with food providers. Their social structures are heavily interfered with and their natural cycles are often manipulated. A wild carnivore will usually steer away from humans but a captive bred carnivore may not feel the need for such caution.
  • A facility breeding carnivores will usually have to sell their offspring; it stands to reason that they cannot always have cubs and youngsters if they do not sell ‘excess’ animals.
  • The captive bred lion hunting industry in South Africa has increased rapidly in recent years and South Africa is increasingly supplying captive bred lion bones for export to Asian markets.
  • The Department of Environmental Affairs released figures in December 2013 that stated that "South Africa officially issued permits for the export of nearly (if not more than) 1 300 dead lions from South Africa to China, Lao PDR and Viet Nam from 2011 to 2012 inclusive." BMP, 2015.
  • "The so-called ‘canned hunting’ industry for lions has also increased in recent years and the total value generated from hunting captive lions amounted to about R98 million in 2006/2007." Lion BMP, 2015.
  • This raises the question: where do all these lions come from or go to? In South Africa, a thriving canned hunting industry can, in many cases, be linked to an equally thriving industry based on cub petting and commercial captive breeding centres.
Some may argue that there is educational value in allowing people to handle wild animals. However this kind of education provides the incorrect message that wild animals exist for human entertainment, that they can be petted like domestic animals. They also do not learn much about the natural behaviour, social structure or role of free roaming carnivores.

It is important to note that captive breeding is not a conservation recommendation for any carnivore species in South Africa. Carnivores in fact breed extremely well in the right conditions and for almost all our threatened carnivore species, the conservation priorities include reducing human-wildlife conflict, securing suitable habitat, reducing illegal offtake and maintaining balanced, functioning ecosystems. Without these in place, captive breeding leads to an over-supply of non-releasable animals which often end up as trophies. We also question that any funding generated from captive carnivore breeding goes to support the conservation of free roaming carnivores.

The EWT does not allege that any specific facility is breeding carnivores for the lion bone trade or for the practice of ‘canned hunting’ but we do urge the public that visit these facilities to ask at the very least these critical questions:
  • What is the plan for the long-term future of the animals in this facility?
  • Where are the cubs’ mothers?
  • Why are cubs not being raised by their mothers?
  • What happens to the facility’s cubs when they grow up?
  • If they are released into larger wildlife areas, where are these and can the facility provide documentation to prove a viable, ethical and successful release process?
  • If the facility is breeding, do they have a management plan that determines responsible husbandry and management of all stock?
  • Do any of the ‘stock’ have the opportunity to live out their natural lives, or are they hunted or bred with again?
  • What happens to the facility’s surplus animals?
  • Can the public inspect the record books of the facility and follow the life cycle of an individual animal?
  • If these animals become part of another breeding programme, for what purpose?
The EWT calls for a more active participation from the public in questioning the role of all captive carnivore facilities and the management of the animals in their care. We also call on the tourism sector to recognise the role that they may be playing in supporting some facilities that cannot account for the conservation claims that they make.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust is a non-profit, public benefit organisation dedicated to conserving species and ecosystems in southern Africa to the benefit of all people.



Source: Namibia Professional Hunting Assiation (NAPHA)
 
Last edited:
Jerome,

Interesting article that will definitely generate some controversy.... I visited the EWT's website to try and get some more information on their work and purpose. I am having a hard time finding out if they have done any research on legal, regulated hunting and it's indisputable role as a sustainable, renewable conservation tool? And if so, what are their conclusions? I also noticed that this was put out by NAPHA...? What is their relationship with this organization? Any other input you can offer?
 
The questions posed by the writer are worth considering.
 
Dan, I don't know anything about the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) (www.ewt.org.za), this article was published in NAPHA's newsletter and wanted to share it on AH. I do not believe that NAPHA has any relationship with EWT.

The captive breeding is not only done with carnivores but also many other species. You find nowadays all over Africa more and more so called "wildlife sanctuary", "animal sanctuary", "wildlife rescue", "conservation centre", "wildlife center", "rehabilitation center", "wildlife and research project", "nature conservation"... and most of these keyword charged places have nothing to do with conservation. Just do a search under Baboon sanctuary and you will see what I mean… I have better chances winning the lottery than finding an orphan Baboon, so where are all of these "abandoned" Baboons coming from? They seem to have an endless supply of cute little Baboon for "hands-on experience", to feed and cuttle.
 
"Cute little baboon"? We must be looking at a different animal . . . !
 
here is a pretty good documentary…

 
Unbelievable!!

 
tag for laughs later.

-mat
 
Can someone tell me why those 10 troops near Cape Town are 'protected'? Seems to me that A.) if they are the same species (Chacma baboon), then they aren't in danger of "becoming extinct" (like the mental pygmies of CARE baboon sanctuary claim) and 2.) you would only have to "thin the herd" a small fraction before the rest of the troop got the idea that it wasn't wise to be attacking tourists or raiding houses. How many people have to suffer physical attacks before it is deemed necessary to kill these animals?
I've seen similar problems in Yellowstone......bears (grizzlies) will start associating humans with food: either via trash or the fact that they have stock (horses). When that happens, the park service quickly shuts everything down and tries to move the problem bear out of the park into more remote areas. If the animal comes back, it's destroyed. They don't make this common knowledge.....they would probably even deny it, but I have it on good authority that this does happen. I realize that it's a little more challenging with primates, as they are a "pack animal", but I would think that the trouble makers could be dealt with (the baboons, not the idiots that run the "sanctuaries").
Of course its not just wild animals......there are dozens of "sanctuaries" for unwanted pets here in the States; I'm constantly getting pestered for monetary donations to "save the puppies and kitties"; however, when my wife and I tried to "rescue" one of these poor dogs (Chiuaua mix), we were told 'no' by the people that run said shelter.......we told them straight off that we had to large dogs already (Labrador retreiver and a Chesapeake Bay retriever), and we were told we couldn't have the Chiuaua because.....and I quote....."The big dogs will kill the little dog!" My wife was crushed, so we ended up buying a Maltipoo (part maltese/part poodle) puppy, and I wish I would have take video of the three together........the lab would play "tug of war" with the dog toys, but did it so gently as to not hurt the little dog, and the puppy tried to suckle a couple of times of the chessie, whom...if anybody was going to take a chunk out of something, it would have been her! She just laid there and tolerated the pup. The rescues also insist that they have 24/7 access to my home...........hell, I don't let the government do that; what the hell makes you think I'm going to let a pet rescue do that! Needless to say, I have a very low opinion of just about any type of "rescue".
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that those who think that they have knowledge about animals (esp. wild animals) don't..................

Anyway, enough of my rambling..........................
 
Jerome,
I completely understand and agree the point being made about certain establishments passing themselves off as "wildlife sanctuaries" or "rescue" facilities when they may have little or nothing to do with the conservation of the species that they claim to protect. If they are running a business under false pretenses then that, of course, is wrong. I guess that is for the legal authorities to sort out. I wish them luck, and I hope that they include PETA, Greenpeace, The Humane Society, and the rest of those idiots when they build cases for prosecution.

My concern with the agenda of the EWT is a different conversation altogether. I am sorry for my skepticism, but I have to be wary of any self-proclaimed "green" wildlife conservation group. I guess I would give them the benefit of the doubt if they recognize, or actually sponsor research supporting the value of legal, regulated hunting as one of the best models for habitat and species conservation.

In their website, I did find one small research project where they claim to support the benefits of game farming in RSA. But the finding are vague, and it doesn't actually specify legal, regulated hunting as key part of the game farming industry.... What they do have are lots of other projects that seem to parallel every other "green" group that either publically or indirectly maintains an anti-hunting agenda. My point is that the credibility of anything they either publish or support would be questionable in my opinion if they do not recognize hunting as the best, proven sustainable conservation tool available.... As we all know, calling yourself a wildlife conservation group doesn't automatically make it so....I fear this may be a bit of the pot calling the kettle black.....? I would really like to know more about them and their work.
 
This came on last Friday from PHASA:

Dear colleague

PHASA’S POSITION ON LION HUNTING

As I am sure you are aware, the campaign against trophy hunting has intensified around the canned or captive-bred lions issue since our last annual general meeting.

When we embarked on a public relations campaign to counter the critics of hunting two years ago, we took the view – valid at that time – that they were a small if vociferous group of animal-rights activists, and that the attitude of our broader society was neutral on this question. This, I fear, is no longer the case.

From my dealings with the media and the community, it has become clear to me that the tide of public opinion is turning strongly against this form of hunting, however it is termed. Even within our own ranks, as well as in the hunting fraternity as a whole, respected voices are speaking out publicly against it.

With airlines and now shipping lines refusing to transport hunting trophies, we have to face the fact that the lion issue is putting at risk not only the reputation of professional hunting in South Africa but its very survival.

PHASA’s current policy on this issue is, broadly speaking, that we accept the legality of and demand for captive-bred lion hunting, and are working with the predator breeders to improve its standards and conditions to a generally acceptable level. We have not made sufficient, demonstrable progress on this front.

Against this background, I have come to believe that, as it stands, our position on lion hunting is no longer tenable, a view shared by our PR advisors. The matter will be on the agenda again for our next annual general meeting, which will take place on 18 November. I appeal to you to give it your serious consideration, so that together we can deliver a policy that is defensible in the court of public opinion.

Yours sincerely

Hermann Meyeridricks
PHASA president
 
This came on last Friday from PHASA:

Dear colleague

PHASA’S POSITION ON LION HUNTING

As I am sure you are aware, the campaign against trophy hunting has intensified around the canned or captive-bred lions issue since our last annual general meeting.

When we embarked on a public relations campaign to counter the critics of hunting two years ago, we took the view – valid at that time – that they were a small if vociferous group of animal-rights activists, and that the attitude of our broader society was neutral on this question. This, I fear, is no longer the case.

From my dealings with the media and the community, it has become clear to me that the tide of public opinion is turning strongly against this form of hunting, however it is termed. Even within our own ranks, as well as in the hunting fraternity as a whole, respected voices are speaking out publicly against it.

With airlines and now shipping lines refusing to transport hunting trophies, we have to face the fact that the lion issue is putting at risk not only the reputation of professional hunting in South Africa but its very survival.

PHASA’s current policy on this issue is, broadly speaking, that we accept the legality of and demand for captive-bred lion hunting, and are working with the predator breeders to improve its standards and conditions to a generally acceptable level. We have not made sufficient, demonstrable progress on this front.

Against this background, I have come to believe that, as it stands, our position on lion hunting is no longer tenable, a view shared by our PR advisors. The matter will be on the agenda again for our next annual general meeting, which will take place on 18 November. I appeal to you to give it your serious consideration, so that together we can deliver a policy that is defensible in the court of public opinion.

Yours sincerely

Hermann Meyeridricks
PHASA president
Well this is not very good news. This dentist just set back lion hunting a few years....The pressure on USFW to ban lion importation is going to be tremendous.
 
The dentist screwed everybody as did his PH... I held judgement until more facts came out, but it isn't looking good for any of them or what they did according to the news. It's like I had said in other threads here, we are under a microscope in the modern "Progressive" worlds eye. When fellow hunters do stupid things and get caught, we all suffer for it. That is why I'm giving up on Simba as I have learned about dinosaurs in Cameroon! THEY are not on ANYBODIES list!!!

:W Shotgun:
 
As for the media, remember Mark Twain once said
“If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.”
 
Oh man so true. Liberal a hole's.
 

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