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:
- Poor welfare conditions in the commercial lion breeding industry resulting in sickly lions with compromised immune systems;
- High levels of stress experienced by wildlife in captivity – both points create the perfect conditions for a zoonotic disease spillover; and
- Constant interactions between humans and wildlife – the perfect storm for an infected animal to pass on a zoonotic disease to humans.
Stop the interactions. Stop the trade.
To learn more about the recent study published by Blood Lions and World Animal Protection, read the campaign document.