According to Four Paws, around 4,000 lions in captivity will be shot to death in South Africa, host of this year’s World Cup.
The big cats live on breeding farms. When they are cubs, they are abused as tourist attractions. Then, when they are too big for cuddling, they end up as souvenirs for rich hunters. The lions are locked in fenced areas, where they are easy targets for hunters- Canned Hunting. Tourists pay up to 50,000 Euros for an adult male lion.
South Africa still permits this most extreme form of hunting. From 2006 to 2008, the number of shot lions more than tripled; most of the hunting victims were born in captivity.
FOUR PAWS is calling for a ban on “Canned Hunting” in South Africa – if you have not already done so, please sign their petition calling for action from the South African Government.
This excellent group has branches in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Stop Canned Hunting in South Africa – sign the petition now!