This is an excerpt from an article published in print and online by Wildside Magazine in their April 2021 edition
A joint scientific study by Blood Lions and World Animal Protection (published in September 2020) highlights how the captive lion breeding industry in South Africa poses a serious health risk to thousands of tourists, industry workers and communities.
Five major diseases (dubbed The Sick 5 in our new campaign) have been identified that can inflict serious health issues for people. These diseases are associated with at least 63 potentially harmful pathogens linked with both wild and captive lions, as identified in our peer reviewed paper.
Underestimating the impact of such pathogens and the associated zoonotic diseases could lead to future epidemics with reductions in life expectancy, increased child and maternal death and serious socioeconomic consequences.
The Sick 5 are Human Ehrlichiosis, Human Babesiosis, African Sleeping Sickness, Toxocariasis and Trichinosis.