Roar about 'canned lions'

2005-01-28 22:31

Pia Nanny

Cape Town - "If the government attaches any value to its conservation commitment, it will put an end to 'canned lion-hunting'," says Louise Joubert, founding trustee of the Sanwild Wildlife Trust.

She was reacting to a draft document published on Friday by the national department of environmental affairs and tourism in which minimum standards were proposed for the keeping and hunting of the large predators.

She said of "canned lion-hunting": "This is one of the practices that is extremely damaging to South Africa's image.

"It creates the impression that the country is not serious about conservation," said Joubert.

The document distinguishes between tame predators and those that live in nature, while acceptable hunting practices are explained.

"Canned lion hunting" is one of the most-controversial questions under discussion.

The government has been lobbied since 1997 to do something about the practice.

In that year, a voluntary moratorium was introduced on the hunting of "canned lions".

According to Joubert, some provincial departments already have issued permits to allow breeding facilities while the national department has no inkling of what the situation is.

Fundisile Mketeni, deputy director of biodiversity and conservation, said all provinces would be asked to complete a questionnaire so that the situation could be studied carefully.

Gary Davies, managing director of the South African Association for Professional Hunters, welcomed the document.

"It is a step in the right direction - so far, there have been no regulations."

According to Davies, practices such as "canned hunting" gave hunters a bad name.

"Lion shooting"

"We do not even call it a "lion hunt" - we simply say it is lion shooting."

He said the association would certainly make proposals regarding other regulations which, according to him, had a limiting influence.

Members of Sanwild are worried that the government will not be able to apply the regulations as proposed in the document.

According to Mketeni, that will be the responsibility of provincial governments.

But, Joubert is not convinced.

"The principles of people involved in practices such as canned lion hunting are already under suspicion.

"I doubt they will be able to regulate themselves."

The public has until March 15 to comment on the document.

- Die Burger