Lion Bones export Approved/Blood Lions

[Richprins]

Govt ignores public opinion, gives green light to sale of 800 lion skeletons

Travel | 27 June 2017, 2:30pm


Adam Cruise



800 lion skeletons will be sold to Asia much to public outrage.

The South African Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA) has blatantly ignored public opinion by formally approving the export of 800 lion skeletons to Asia this year.

This in spite of international condemnation from conservationists and local stakeholders.

The numbers of African free-range lions have declined alarmingly over the last few decades with only 20,000 remaining today, down from 30,000 just two decades ago.


“It is irresponsible to establish policy that could further imperil wild lions,” said Dr. Paul Funston, Senior Director of Panthera’s Lion Programme earlier this year when the DEA first proposed its plans.


However, the DEA says the export will only be from captive-bred lions which is legal under the Convention in the Trade of Endangered Species (Cites).

Lions in South Africa are listed under Appendix II which means their products can be traded internationally but only “if the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild.”


The DEA believes that the sale from captive-bred lions will reduce the Asian appetite for wild lion parts from a growing market for exotic products such as tiger-bone wine.


Lion bones have lately been sold off as tiger bones since the latter have become extremely rare due to the scarcity of tiger bones .




But says Funston: “South Africa’s lion breeding industry makes absolutely no positive contribution to conserving lions and, indeed, further imperils them.

In 2016, according to Panthera, 90% of lion carcasses found in the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique all had their skulls, teeth, and claws removed while rates of poisoning lions specifically for bones increased dramatically in Niassa National Reserve in northern Mozambique. In Namibia, 42% of lions killed in the Caprivi had their skeletons removed.




South Africa has been selling lion bones to Asia for the past few years. According to wildlife investigator, Karl Amann, the trade is fueling the demand in Asia.




The south-east Asian country now dominates the lion-bone market. Amann According to the CITES trade daba base, between 2009 and 2015 Laos has bought over 2000 complete lion skeletons from South Africa. This excludes the 2300 bones and 40 skulls sold separately as incomplete skeletons”




Lion bones arrive in Laos but are then illegally exported to Vietnam without the requisite CITES export permits. Here they are boiled down, compacted into a cake bar and sold at a price of around US$1,000 to consumers who add it to rice wine.




Lion Bone Trade Promotes Canned Lion Hunting




The DEA’s move is widely regarded as open support for the controversial practice of canned lion hunting. A captive lion breeder – one of 300 in South Africa – can be paid anywhere from US$5,000 to US$25,000 for each lion permitted to be shot . Now they can add an additional $1,500 per skeleton permitted to be sold to Laotian buyers.




In January, the DEA was accused of not giving the public time to object. Michele Pickover, Director of the EMS Foundation,, says the DEA has not been transparent in the manner in which it has set the proposed quota.




The DEA initially made the decision without public consultation in January but were forced to hold a stakeholder meeting to comply with CITES quota conditions. The meeting, publically announced on 25 January and held just one week later, left virtually no time for popular comment, submissions or intervention.




“One has to ask what the DEA’s internal processes are for properly, carefully and accountably assessing the merits of the submissions they receive. It looks like they have totally ignored the input by a number of NGOs against the quota,” says Pickover.




Pickover has accused the DEA of commodifying wild animals “to such an extent now that they are blatantly ignoring their mandate in relation to biodiversity and conservation.”

http://www.iol.co.za/travel/govt-ignore ... ns-9990590

[Flutterby]

All about money!!

[Mel]

[Lisbeth]

It is disgusting

[Lisbeth]

Op-Ed: Molewa’s lion bone quota sends the wrong conservation message



BY ADAM CRUISE - 6 JULY 2017 - DAILY MAVERICK

The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, has permitted an annual sale of 800 skeletons of captive-bred lions. Conservation organisations say the quota has been instituted without proper scientific investigation into the potential negative impact on wild lion populations, writes ADAM CRUISE.

Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, announced last week that a quota of 800 skeletons of captive-bred lions has been set for 2017, allowing for the continued international trade in lion bones, which may be used as a substitute for tiger bones in Asia.

The announcement has received widespread condemnation, primarily because the quota has largely been instituted without proper scientific investigation into the potential negative impact of the trade on wild lion populations. The minister was also accused of failing to adequately consult stakeholders before moving ahead.

The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) believes that the sales of skeletons from captive-bred lions will reduce the Asian appetite for wild lion parts in a growing market for exotic products such as tiger-bone wine and jewellery. Lion bones have lately been sold off as substitutes for tiger bones since the latter have become extremely rare due to the increase in demand.

Molewa says the export will only be from captive-bred lions and is legal under the Convention in the Trade of Endangered Species (Cites). Lions in South Africa are listed under Appendix II which means their products can be traded internationally but only “if the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild”.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Data list, the numbers of African free-range lions have declined by 43% over the last two decades. It is believed by many accredited conservation NGOs such as Panthera, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), the EMS Foundation and many others that the sale will further exacerbate the decline.

In the media release last week, Molewa stated: “The decision on the annual export quota was reached following an extensive stakeholder consultation process during which the department considered all variables, including scientific best practice. It cannot be said, therefore that this determination was made arbitrarily or in a non-transparent manner.”

Yet, the DEA was accused by the stakeholders of not doing any of that. The process did not follow extensive stakeholder consultation, nor do they seem to consider any variables, especially those that weren’t in favour of trade. In fact, the department initially made the decision without any public consultation in January but were forced to hold a stakeholder meeting to comply with Cites quota conditions. The meeting, publicly announced on 25 January and held just one week later, left virtually no time for public comment, submissions or intervention.

One or the primary objections from many stakeholders is that the impact of the bone trade has not been adequately determined. According to a statement put out by a group of South African conservation NGOs, lion bone trade “quotas should be evidence-driven” and not determined purely on economics without proper research into the impact the trade will have on wild lions.

The statement further said the NGOs “do not support the commercial captive breeding of carnivores because it does not contribute to the sustainable, responsible use of our wildlife resources and, in some cases, may have negative impacts on the conservation of these species in the wild”.

The DEA maintain that the quota was “determined following consideration of scientific research information” but this “research” has been labelled as weak and inadequate particularly because it conceded that our understanding of the captive lion breeding industry, and the lion bone trade in South Africa is limited and that it is not known how the proposed trade quota will affect wild lion populations The research team was also accused of being biased by the EMS Foundation, which has submitted formal recommendations against the quota. The team apparently consisted of someone from SANBI (South African National Biodiversity Institute), a person from the National Zoological Gardens, an academic and an economist known for his vociferous support for the rhino horn trade and farming of tigers.

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), severely criticised the quota in a statement last week citing numerous flaws including:

- Potential impacts on wild lions
- Failure to contribute to sustainable use of wildlife
- Links between lion bone and other wildlife crime networks
- Lack of community benefit from the captive lion industry
- Lion bone trade’s potential to damage “Brand South Africa”
- Captive breeding is contrary to international trends
- Increasing trend towards intensive use of wildlife in SA
- DEA’s support for captive breading when their mandate is biodiversity conservation
- DEA’s failure to conduct a proper public participatory process
- DEA’s failure to address scientific concerns

The criticism includes whether the government has the capacity to effectively monitor and enforce trade regulations including permitting, inspections and export controls; or how the quota will be allocated by province and by breeder, and what systems will be in place to avoid corruption and bribery.

Michele Pickover, director of the EMS Foundation, says the DEA does not know how the industry operates, nor do they know who the breeders that sell bones are and how many bone traders are in operation. “Essentially,” she says, “the DEA have left it to the lion breeding industry to police itself.”

The EMS Foundation submitted a PAIA Request (Request for Access to Record of a Public Body) for access to the permits, documents and records of lion breeders and agents. They received three boxes and are currently picking through the data. “It’s a big mess,” said Pickover, who added that they have already discovered permits that were issued this year before the DEA had even set the quota.

Other concerns from EWT and EMS Foundation include whether lion bones from captive lions will be distinguished from those of wild lions and what processes need to be in place to prevent leakage from illegal sources to legal ones. Also, what are the current and predicted future dynamics of consumer markets and what impact will they will have on the future demand for, and prices of, lion bones?

The EWT says “if these questions cannot be adequately investigated and addressed, then it is evident that the practice of captive breeding for lion bone trade should not be considered a viable component of South Africa’s wildlife economy”. DM

[Lisbeth]

Lions poisoned for bone trade in Limpopo National Park/]Lions poisoned for bone trade in Limpopo National Park

On 3 July 2017 the tracks of three poachers were detected in the Intensive Protection Zone of Limpopo National Park, Mozambique.

These were followed and it became clear that the poachers were following the tracks of a lion. Further investigation resulted in the discovery of a camp and nearby snare line with bait laced with poison to attract lion.
Unfortunately the poachers were already successful and the carcasses of three lions and one hyena were discovered. The previous week, anti-poaching teams had also recovered snares and a small bag of poison in the same proximity.
It was strongly suspected that the carcasses and bait were poisoned with Temic (a substance more poisonous than arsenic) and, following a sample recording, these were burnt to avoid any possible further impacts. The snares were removed and a live nyala that was discovered in one of the snares was also released.
In a follow-up pursuit two poachers were spotted. Their tracks led to one of the villages in the park that is part of the resettlement process being undertaken. Subsequent interventions with anti-poaching patrol reinforcements are under way.

Peter Leitner, Peace Parks Foundation’s project manager in Limpopo National Park, voiced his concern: ‘It is clear that there is a definite escalation in targeting and poaching lion for the lion bone trade. This is a concerning development and simply a diversification of business of the wildlife crime syndicates that are uncovering another lucrative trade. Lion are even more threatened than rhino, with current worldwide estimates indicating that there are only 20 000 wild lion remaining, as opposed to an estimated population of 29 000 rhino. Much more needs to be done to stem wildlife crime and in particular reduce the demand. Again it is clear that a multi-pronged approach along the entire trafficking chain is the only way to address this crisis.’

Cornelio Miguel, park warden of Limpopo National Park, managed by Mozambique’s National Administration of Conservation Areas, added: ‘This is the third incident of lion being killed for their bones in the past two years. In the previous incident the culprits responsible for this were apprehended within days and it is hoped that the investigations by the rangers will lead to an arrest and conviction. The Mozambique government has recently changed its legislation and any person found to be involved in trafficking or poaching of endangered or threatened species could face a jail sentence of up to fifteen years.’

[Richprins]

This may seem like the rhino horn and elephant ivory thing all over again, but there are some important differences worth mentioning for the record.

Lion breed very quickly, and don't live very long compared to the herbivores.

While rhino are not ecosystem-influencers, and elephant are in the long-term, the effect of a sudden decrease in a wild lion population over a significant area has quite an effect on prey numbers in both the short and long term, leading to ecosystem impact there too!

Virtualy all SA's wild elephant have their origin in Mozambique, and all the white rhino from Imfolozi. The current Moz ellie population is probably doomed, except for Maputo Park, maybe? So a genetic bubble for both species by and large. (Some black rhino in Kruger came from Kenya and elsewhere). Lion have a number of historical populations in SA, re Kzn, Transvaal and N Cape, IMO.

Lion are very susceptible to local conditions in the short term re food availability, and lose condition and numbers quickly in the short term, the others don't.

Excess male lions are killed by their counterparts unless they can migrate. While the other two species fight, this rarely ends in death.

Lion are more expensive to keep in captivity, regarding food, vet services and fencing. Elephant also need expensive fences, if not in a large area.

It is far more difficult to systemically poach lion in the wild using guns, hence the need for the more complicated use of bait and poisons.

[Lisbeth]

has permitted an annual sale of 800 skeletons of captive-bred lions

In this case ( if they maintain the promise ) wild lions should no be involved Not that I agree in any case

[H. erectus]

We need to see .gov take a more clear standing
and responsibility toward it's gifted asset!!

Conservation cannot be split into segments, where
certain segments may produce profit, other segments
negated for it's worth!!!! Natural asset comes as one
great big package and needs to be dealt with in such
manner!!

I seem to believe that the hunting industry are mostly
to blame for misunderstanding in this realm. I can further,
the greater concern, a brooding industry with lowly standard,
exploiting this gross mal-admin, where .gov are totally
ignorant and a industry making full use of ignorant admin!!

Aunty Edna can be blamed for all controversy, but in all fairness,
whom feeds the aunty with all this make believe crap that we
need to digest. Day in day out???

The conservation industry not unlike any other, requires a situation
of supply and demand, for it to function properly in any business day.

Conservation cannot be seen as a business!!!! Only more can it be
seen as a responsibility and obligation to a higher order of nature!!

Conservation needs to be seen as separated from mans miseries in life!!

[H. erectus]

Says a lion to a tour guide, "don't make your shit my shit,
since you passing, seeking eternal happiness, have a great
day"!!!!