A few days ago, we posted a blog on the effects of anthropogenic (human-mediated) mortality on Africa’s ever-decreasing wild lion populations. In that report we highlighted a growing threat – the direct poaching of lions for body parts used locally in African nations as “muthi” (traditional…
Lion poaching in Botswana Read More »
Directly or indirectly, the African wild lion population, already decreasing in numbers across the continent, remains under great threat from human-mediated (anthropogenic) causes. Below is a short list of such anthropogenic sources of mortality, some direct, some indirect, and reasons why LionAid is concerned about the rather complacent attitude taken by local authorities and international
The impact of commercial poaching, fuelled by demand from Asian traditional markets, is well known. For example, rhinos poached for their horns has decimated populations in Kruger National Park, and interventions by park rangers and deployment by soldiers from the South African Defence Force have…
South African authorities now approve an annual sale of 1,500 lion skeletons from captive lion breeders to Asian buyers. Early yesterday morning, we were alerted by a number of sources that the number of lion skeletons to be sold to Asia from South Africa was to be increased from 800 (set in 2017) to a
Lion skeletons in the closet? Read More »
Lion skeletons hung out to dry It was always predicted to happen, was it not? Southern African countries were going to look in envy at the profits being made from lion products by South Africa and join in the commercial trading frenzy. CITES records show that Namibia sent 13 lion skeletons to Vietnam in 2013
Namibia enters the lion bone trade to Asia Read More »
Some will remember the poisoning and slaughter of two white lions at a private facility the other day. Regardless of how those lions were going to be commercially used by the farm, their slaughter raised many eyebrows. Why would the poachers target lions and remove their heads and paws unless there was a market? Just
An emerging trade? Read More »
Lion bones are NOT medicine Is South Africa trading wildlife products under the guise of Traditional Chinese Medicine with NO medicinal value?The answer is yes. South Africa has engaged in an increasing commercial trade in lion bones from their canned hunting/captive breeding programmes. The trade flows mainly to Laos and Vietnam, where such lion bones
The South African lion bone trade is based on false assumptions Read More »
Even after 500,000 years of bullying, I just can’t stop doing it… There are some researchers who think lions are big bullies. They kill cheetahs and wild dogs for example, and are just plain naughty animals for causing such mayhem among sympatric predators. For cheetahs, Sarah Durant and co-authors had this to say in the
Lions get a break from bad publicity Read More »
Fat enough to help you exorcise evil spirits? The use of a variety of animal products in Chinese Traditional Medicine is well known. Less appreciated by those concerned with the current rate of poaching of Africa’s wildlife is the fact that a diversity of animal products has also long been used in African Traditional Medicine.
Which way will I die? The lion has become a hot commodity and the ways in which profits can now be made out of them are simply spiralling out of control. The reality is that there are fewer lion “units” (prides) remaining in the wild than elephants, rhinos or tigers and the lion trade, which
How to kill a lion – let’s count the ways Read More »
Poacher down: Hardlife Nkomo shot by game rangers while attempting to poach a rhino in Zimbabwe. We all know that the legal and illegal trade in rhino horn (largely emanating from South Africa and destined to Vietnam and China) is highly profitable. Let’s look at some numbers from two different sources (CITES and South Africa’s
A hypothetical rhino poaching budget – expenditures and profits Read More »
At the beginning of September, we were approached by Vietnamese journalist An Dien working with the Thanh Nien newspaper in Vietnam. He was preparing a story about the trade in lion skeletons from South Africa to Vietnam and we provided him with much information on this emerging trade. It is refreshing to see that the
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