MYTH: Paying to interact with lions is acceptable as the money goes to conservation

Cancel Captivity Blood Lions Blood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

There is no evidence that money raised through interactive captive wildlife activities is donated to the conservation of the species in the wild.

Furthermore, not one credible conservation organisation would be willing to raise funds in such an unethical manner.

The reality is that the lions and other big cats kept in captive facilities offering hands-on interactions are part of a vicious cycle of abuse and exploitation that serves no conservation value.

Don’t be part of the problem #CancelCaptivity


MYTH: Interacting with ‘ambassador animals’ helps conserve the species in the wild

Blood Lions #cancelcaptivity Myths Blood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

Education should never take preference over the welfare of an animal.

There is no doubt that raising awareness around species conservation issues and educating the public on these topics is hugely important.

However, this should NEVER be done to the detriment of the well-being of individual animals through intense “pay and play” programmes with ambassador animals.

The world is changing, and we need to be more innovative in our educational and awareness raising techniques.

Don’t be part of the problem #CancelCaptivity


MYTH: Cub petting is okay because the cubs are orphans

Cancel Captivity Myth Blood Lions Blood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

This is another extremely common myth linked to the captive lion industry, but is very often not the case.

Many captive wildlife facilities will claim that their cubs were orphaned, rejected by their mothers, or that their mothers didn’t produce enough milk to feed them.

The reality is that these cubs were born in captivity and forcefully removed from their mothers within days of birth, so that they can be bottle-fed by paying volunteers and petted by visitors for commercial gain.

Don’t be part of the problem. #CancelCaptivity


MYTH: Interacting with captive cheetahs is perfectly safe

Blood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

In the last 15 years, we have recorded 52 incidents of captive cheetahs, lions and tigers attacking a total of 58 people, of which 18 people died as a consequence of the attack.

Fourteen of these attacks involved captive cheetahs and one person perished as a result of their injuries.

These are just the ones that were reported in the media or on social media… many more attacks likely to go unreported.

It is time for South Africa to #CancelCaptivity


MYTH: Captive bred lions are as wild as the lions in reserves

Blood Lions Cancel Captivity #cancelcaptivityBlood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

Although the wild instinct of captive-bred lions may well remain, they are human-habituated animals and are ill-equipped to survive in wild areas.

Captive bred lions have never learned to hunt for themselves and/or deal with other predators and dangerous wild animal species.

Physically captive-bred lions are also weaker due to a lack of exercise throughout their lives.

This is another reason why captive-bred lions cannot be released into the wild.

It is time for South Africa to #CancelCaptivity


MYTH: Captive-bred lions are genetically pure

Blood Lions Cancel Captivity #cancelcaptivityBlood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

The genetics of captive-bred lions are often compromised.

The prevailing view amongst carnivore specialists and conservationists is that captive-bred lions do not contribute to the conservation of the species, especially since inbreeding is prevalent in captivity which has a negative effect on genetic integrity and provenance.

Lion ecologists agree that releasing compromised genes into a healthy wild population is extremely risky.

This is another reason why captive-bred lions cannot be released into the wild.

South Africa – it is time to #CancelCaptivity


MYTH: Captive-bred lions can be released into the wild

Blood Lions Cancel Captivity #cancelcaptivityBlood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

This is one of the most common myths linked to the captive lion breeding industry.

As much as a wild animal is never fully tame, captive-bred lions are human-imprinted and therefore lose their fear for humans.

This could therefore pose a significant risk for human-wildlife conflict when introduced into wild spaces.

This is just one reason why captive-bred lions cannot be released into the wild.

South Africa – it is time to #CancelCaptivity


MYTH: Breeding lions in captivity will save the species in the wild

Blood Lions Cancel Captivity #cancelcaptivityBlood Lions Youth For Lions Lion bone trade Tiger bones Predators in captivity Canned hunting Animal welfare Panthera leo Lions in captivity Cub petting Walking with lions Petting lion cubs Predator park Lion farm Lion park Commercial captive lion industry Tiger cub petting Captive predators Ban canned hunting Tigers in captivity Cheetahs in captivity Cute lion cubs Hand-feeding lion cubs Volunteer with lions Hand raise lion cubs Illegal wildlife trade Illegal lion bone trade Born To Live Wild Lion bone quota South Africa #CancelCaptivity #ThinkBeforeYouGo

A common myth linked to the captive lion breeding industry is that it has the ability to supplement and save the wild species. This is not the case.

The IUCN assessment in 2016 showed that lion populations across the continent had indeed declined by 43% over a 20-year period (or 3 lion generations).

The reasons for this decline include habitat degradation and fragmentation, reductions in prey animals, human-lion conflict, and, importantly, the trade in lion products (particularly bones).

However, lions breed very successfully in the wild, and lion ecologists agree that we don’t need to spend resources on captive breeding for reintroduction without proven success records.

What we need to do is to create more safe space for lions to thrive in functional wild ecosystems.

South Africa – it is time to #CancelCaptivity