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