Currently, anywhere between 8,000 and 10,000 predators, possibly more, are being held in small enclosures on 300+ captive predator facilities across South Africa. Despite claims made by the commercial captive predator breeding industry, it is commonly accepted by leading wildlife and conservation scientists globally that this industry does not support conservation of lions in the wild.

Most South African predator facilities are commercial operations breeding and exploiting wildlife for a range of activities from canned hunting and the bone trade to the extremely lucrative cub petting, ‘walking with lions’ and voluntourism activities. There is growing scientific evidence to suggest that the captive lion breeding industry in South Africa poses a real and serious health risk to thousands of tourists, industry workers and communities from Zoonotic diseases.