Celebrate the successes of animals in South Africa

PETA joins a coalition of animal rights organizations to celebrate the great progress of South Africa’s majestic lions.

Many of the lions killed for “sport” in South Africa are bred in captivity, which means they are used to humans and are ultimately an “easier” target for trophy hunters. In 2020, PETA released video footage of a group of hunters ambushing a captive-raised lion resting under a tree. The lion roars and charges after one of the hunters has shot and wounded him, and it takes four more shots from the hunter and his guides to kill him.

However, a new proposed policy is now helping to stop this brutality.… The South African Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) recently made an unprecedented announcement to eliminate the captive lion breeding industry.

A few months after this announcement, the South African DFFE Minister published a draft political position and solicited public comment. PETA, World Animal Protection and a number of other human rights organizations have provided comments that welcomed this new political stance in South Africa for its stated goal of “immediately ending the domestication of the lion.”[s] and the commercial exploitation of the captive lion[s]”And install[ing] the process of closing the lions in captivity ”.

However, the same draft political position also includes as one of the priorities the goal:[t]o Make South Africa a preferred destination for legal, humane, regulated and responsible hunting. “

PETA’s work to end trophy hunting in South Africa continues

PETA, World Animal Protection and other groups have moved away from humane and responsible trophy hunting. The recommendations provided by the DFFE indicate that public concern and discomfort about the ethics of trophy hunting has increased in recent years. We also highlighted specific concerns about the negative impacts of trophy hunting on species populations, biodiversity and wildlife conservation.

This is why we propose a concept that the New Deal for Wildlife in South Africa should focus on the development of the country’s wildlife.friendly tourism.

Animal-friendly tourism is already a successful sector in itself. Did you know that the United Nations World Tourism Organization estimates that Africa peace and wildlife tours already account for 88% of tour operators’ annual income?

It’s time for South African leaders to see the writing on the wall: trophy hunting is a dying, arrogant pastime that has no place in today’s ethical world.

What you can do to end trophy hunting

Lions and other animals shot by trophy hunters often endure long and painful deaths, simply so that people can chop off their heads and other body parts and send them home as trophies. By allowing hunters to deliver hunting trophies, UPS is supporting the slaughter of magnificent animals.

UPS has banned the carriage of not only shark fins and some live animals, but also ivory – and if it can ban the carriage of animal tusks, of course, it can also ban the carriage of heads and other body parts. You can join more than 100,000 people who have already responded to PETA’s call for UPS to ban shipping of game trophies. Actions with a phone or computer take only a minute, so what are you waiting for?

We call on UPS to immediately ban the delivery of hunting trophies!