PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE
DISTRIBUTION
4 February 2005
PROUD TO BE SOUTH
AFRICAN? WE DON’T THINK SO
Concerns
amongst conservationists, animal welfare organisations and
individuals are growing as the contents of the draft
policy for the sustainable use of large predators in South
Africa which was published in Government Gazette No: 27214
on the 28th January 2005 becomes known. It is
now evident that the policy is greatly flawed and that it
mainly deals with legalizing the killing of large
predators under unnatural conditions.
An
overwhelming response has been forthcoming from the
general public and some large business corporations in
South Africa have asked to be kept informed on the public
participation process required before the draft policy can
be implemented on the 1st July 2005. Many
emails from concerned international visitors and tourists
have also been sent to the information line that has been
set up by the SanWild Wildlife Trust to ensure that the
public is kept informed on developments.
The
policy if passed in its current form will most definitely
set a dangerous precedent and will see the complete
degeneration of conservation in South Africa, as we know
it today. Future generations will be conditioned to accept
the intensive breeding of large predators such as lions,
cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs, brown and spotted hyenas as
the norm and will lose the foresight to recognize the
importance of preserving habitats and balanced eco
systems. Already South Africa is allowing the intensive
breeding or rare and endangered species such as sable,
rhino, tsessebe, buffalo and roan in small breeding camps
and even in this sector of the wildlife industry many
problems are now arising with genetics and the animals
inability to cope with life in the wild under natural
conditions. This sector of the wildlife industry is mainly
money driven and very few projects have conservation as
the overriding factor. South Africa is a signatory to the
sustainable use concept which unfortunately has resulted
in the blatant exploitation of many wild animal species
because the delicate balance between conservation and
commercialization is not maintained and animals are in
many instances only valued in terms of the money that can
be made from hunting and trading.
Many
aspects of the “canned lion” industry have not been
incorporated into the policy and stipulations and
requirements for fencing and camp sizes are vague. The
intensive breeding, removal of cubs from mothers,
rehabilitation of captive bred lions and the animal’s
welfare in general has not been addressed. Terms used in
the policy such, as “human imprinted” has not been defined
clearly. Requirements for rehabilitation to be monitored
by suitably qualified individuals have not been addressed.
Fencing requirements and camp sizes are not stipulated and
once again refer back to requirements of the various
provincial departments. One of the main reasons why the
Department of Environmental Affairs has lost control over
the canned lion breeding and hunting industries is the
lack of national policy to regulate the industry from a
central command. The voluntarily moratorium called out by
Minister Pallo Jordan in 1997 which had not been adhered
to by permit officials and MECs’ in various provinces
clearly demonstrates the need for a national policy to be
enforced on all provinces.
It is
also a huge concern that no mention has been made how the
Department of Environmental Affairs on provincial level
will be dealing with the many legal and illegal
predator-breeding projects that have already been set up.
Some have been granted their permits and others have been
given principle approval from the various provincial
departments. There are also those who have been breeding
and hunting lions unchallenged with no permits from the
relevant conservation authorities.
The
Wildlife Action Group urges South African’s from all walks
of life to contact the information line by sending and
email to
louise@sanwild.org and make sure that they are added
to help line free of charge in order for them to voice
their objection or support for this new draft policy.
Please contact us on
wag@sentechsa.com for further information.
Reply From: "Robert Spaull" <RSpaull@deat.gov.za>
Please submit all written comments to:
The Director-General
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Private Bag X447
PRETORIA
0001
For Attention: Dr Pieter Botha
Or largepredator@deat.gov.za
"Cornwall's Voice for Animals" <cvfa.uk@virgin.net>
2/7/2005
1:28:41 PM >>>
URGENT Attention: Minister Marthinus Van Schalkwyk
Dear Minister van Schalkwyk
I refer to the publication of the proposed new policy for
the Sustainable Use of Large Predators in South Africa in
Government Gazette No27214 and the requirements of
the National Environmental Management Act to open this
draft policy for wide public participation in South
Africa.
As a concerned person, I can only trust that you abide by
the stipulations of NEMA to ensure that all South
Africans and other interested parties are given an
opportunity to voice their opinion on a policy that has
the potential to influence the entire country's
tourism industry and will most certainly affect all
South Africans from all walks of life. I am writing to
urge you to support legislation to ban "canned" trophy
hunting not only in particular to lions, but also
all large predators in South Africa.
I was fortunate to be able to get a copy of this proposed
policy and it is
clear and evident especially in light of the problems
facing conservation
law enforcement in South Africa that this policy simply
will not be able to
ban canned hunting in South Africa. It is further clear
that with a limited
release range for lions there is only one reason why lions
are bred in captivity in South Africa - to be hunted. It
is further evident that the breeding of lions in
captivity in South Africa serves no conservation
purpose at all at this stage. I urge you to ban the
captive breeding of lions in South Africa unless
such breeding facility has a clear and true
conservation value. It is morally and ethically
unacceptable to mass-produce lions or any other
large predator for hunting. I trust you will not expect
me to reason the argument that the breeding of lions for
hunting purposes can be compared with that of live
stock farming. If you do, I suggest that you
discontinue conservation in South frica and classify all
wild animals under your Department of Agriculture.
"Canned hunting" is the cowardly practice of killing
captive animals in enclosed areas. The animals used
in a canned hunts have generally been bred in
captivity and have been dependant on humans for their
food. They are familiar with people; therefore, they
do not show the natural tendency to flee from
humans. These animals are tame and easy targets. In
addition, baiting and confining the animals in
fenced areas guarantees the hunters a kill and is
advertised on many Internet hunting sites as such.
Typically, these hunts are for the wealthy because
of the high price tag placed on each "guaranteed"
kill/trophy. This type of hunting shows an extreme lack of
respect for life and compassion for the dignity of these
animals.
I was also appalled to find out that indeed the South
African Government did not prevent the expansion of the
captive breeding of lions for hunting since 1997,
especially after official press releases and media reports
indicated that your government had indeed placed a
moratorium on the expansion of this terrible
industry. This was grave misrepresentation and I do feel
that people have been misled. The fact that permits
have been issued as recent as late 2004 in Limpopo
Province proves once and for all that the voluntary
moratorium called out by, Minister Pallo Jordan was not
worth the paper it
was written on.
Please take a stand against this cruel and unethical
industry by supporting the call for legislation to be
created so that the captive breeding of large
predators for commercial gain and hunting will be banned
in South Africa. The South Africa public and
international community are disgusted by these
activities and wants them outlawed.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Yours truly,
Mary Alice Pollard Cornwall's Voice for Animals ( CVFA )
http://justnicephotos.homestead.com/CVFA.html
Trematon Cottage, 3 Gerrans Square
Gerrans, Portscatho,
Truro
Cornwall TR2-5GA
UK
