News

                                                                     Thank you Zulus

On May 17, the South Africa Inkatha Freedom Party issued the press statement below. LionAid would like to thank the IFP for their support of our position on canned lion hunting, and trust the other political parties in South Africa will take note. The IFP is to be commended for addressing this issue negatively impacting South Africa’s international wildlife conservation image. 

PRESS RELEASE

The Inkatha Freedom Party supports all calls to end recreational killing of lions in South Africa. IFP Spokesperson on the Environment, Mrs CN Zikalala, MP said, "Lions are being bred in captivity, in most instances tranquilized and then released into large enclosed areas to be hunted. They are then being 'hunted' by these pseudo 'hunters' who take great pride and satisfaction in being able to kill a tame lion, at point blank range with a high powered rifle. This is as pathetic as it is cruel."

Zikalala further added that, " It is reported that these lions are bred for the sole purpose of being hunted, often spending the majority of their lives in small, cramped quarters, are forced to breed and are released into controlled environments only when they are about to be shot. The wild lion population is also under threat with numbers dwindling from 450,000 to only 20000 currently left in the wild."

The IFP accordingly urges the Minister of Environmental Affairs to immediately ban or at the very least, severely limit the number of lion hunting permits issued in South Africa each year.

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