In 2020, Blood Lions released a joint scientific study with World Animal Protection highlighting how the captive lion breeding industry in South Africa poses a real and serious health risk to thousands of tourists, industry workers and communities —
— but what does that actually mean?
Unpacking the sick 5
Join us as we unpack our research findings, which include five major zoonotic diseases linked to the commercial captive lion breeding industry.
Study identifies 63 pathogens known to affect lions
Blood Lions recently released a peer-reviewed study with World Animal Protection highlighting key issues regarding zoonotic diseases and their link to the captive lion breeding industry in South Africa. Did
Five major diseases linked to captive lion breeding
Five major diseases have been identified in Blood Lions’ recently released study with World Animal Protection that can inflict serious health issues for people. #TheSick5 are: The first two are
How does a “zoonotic jump” occur?
Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases caused by bacteria, parasites or viruses that can be passed between mammals and people. The pathogen originates in wildlife (the reservoir host), often bats, that
23 human diseases found in lions
Although there are 5 main diseases we’ve unpacked in #TheSick5, there are a total of 23 diseases that can potentially be transmitted from lions to people. These diseases were identified in
No studies conducted on commercial breeding farms
There are currently no known scientific studies that have investigated lion’s health and diseases on commercial breeding farms in South Africa, making it difficult to adequately monitor, prevent or manage
Thousands of people at risk of infection
The commercial captive breeding industry in South Africa puts thousands of people at risk of infection with potential zoonotic diseases. This risk is exacerbated by: Stop the interactions. Stop the
What have we learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic?
This pandemic has taught us that we can no longer afford to underestimate the potential impact of zoonotic diseases. In order to avoid repeating the past, we need to change
How can we prevent zoonotic disease outbreaks?
This pandemic has taught us that we can no longer afford to underestimate the potential impact of zoonotic diseases. But what can we do to prevent these outbreaks from occurring
Three times more captive than wild lions in South Africa
There are 8 000 – 12 000 captive lions in South Africa that are often kept in small enclosures. This is a stark contrast to the only 3 000 wild
Captive lions increase the risk of zoonotic diseases
When we take a step back and look at the industry as a whole, we are able to see the extent of the risks our wildlife and humans are possibly
17 000+ Lions exported from South Africa in 10 years
The CITES Trade Database shows that over 17 000 lions have been exported from South Africa over the last 10 years… dead and alive. Many of these lions were exported