1 Sept 2015

Lions bred for petting and hunting = big $

I am just back home from the movie launch of BLOOD LIONS in Australia. The maker,  Ian Michler,  had just arrived in Australia for the first international premiere of the film. Hosted by Donalea Patman, For the Love of Wildlife, in Fremantle and did the introduction as well answered questions at the end.  
It is amazing that this canned hunting industry can sustain and this is not only to blame on the South Africans seeing a chance to become wealthy. This has much to do with the clients; the hunters who keep on demanding, the choice of the priced lion! And the tourists who pay big dollars for petting the young cubs or walking with the 'teenager' lions. Or those who think they are paying for a good cause as it's brought as "eco tourism"; taking care of 'orphan' lion cubs for 'conservation'. 

If these clients keep on doing this there will always be a market. So we have to get the message out to stop this silly business of breeding lions for petting when they are babies (taken away from the mother between 3-10 days old!!) and then to be shot by trophy hunters and their bones sold for potions in China.