The South African government recently decided to ban the captive lion industry in their country, a move applauded by conservationists. The commercial use of captive lions has been a source of concern and controversy for years, with over 360 facilities holding between 8,000 and 12,000 lions throughout South Africa. Many of these facilities have a history of offering lion petting and “canned hunting” (a form of organized trophy hunting), making the new decision to shut down this industry a welcome change for the betterment of lion welfare.
While this industry cannot vanish overnight, the wheels are now in motion to phase out this affront to lions and wildlife management for good.
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