In South Africa is seems that the Department of Environmental Affairs continues to ignore the requirements of NEMA in regards to the National Principles, Norms and Standards for the Sustainable Use of Large Predators. This document which have already been Government gazetted on the 13th June 2003 is currently supposed to be put out for public participation, but rumour has it that indeed no participation by the animal welfare community is pursued by DEAT (Department of Environmental Affairs) and the lion breeders. Rumour further has it that negotiations and discussions between DEAT and the lion breeders are continued behind closed doors to finalise this policy.

Concerned South Africans should ask the question if this proposed policy will further the protection of bio-diversity and serves any conservation purpose at all and if indeed the conservation departments are capable of enforcing or policing this policy. Have sufficient scientific research been presented on various suggestions in the proposed policy - i.e. the free release of large captive bred predators like lions before they are to be hunted. The time period under discussion for this reintroduction is only 21 days.

NEMA clearly states that the loss of biological diversity should be avoided at all cost, but how will this be possible in an industry where there are serious questions to be asked in regards to the genetic in breeding of the African Lion? Lion cubs are routinely removed from their mothers in many of the captive breeding projects to speed up breeding of even more lions. Certainly these methods can seriously jeopardize the genetic pools over a prolonged period of time? What effective law enforcement policies are in place to prevent the capture of lions from the wild to substitute the dwindling genetic resources in the captive lion breeding programs? Or are wild lions just incorporated into the systems without the general public ever knowing about it? How is the importation of surplus lions from zoos and private collectors across the world impacting on the genetic purity of the Southern African lions? There are so many unanswered questions which are ignored by the role players actively seeking the growth and promotion of Canned Lion hunting – i.e. hunting of lions bred in captivity that are daily exposed to human presence.