Threats to Lions & Lion Conservation

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mouseinthehouse
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Re: How Lions go from the Petting Zoo to the Dinner Plate

Post by mouseinthehouse »

I try to keep a thread going that I started on TripAdvisor South African forum titled 'the reality of lion cub petting' after seeing many questions on there from potential tourists about visiting lion parks and such. Now another couple of forum regulars help to ensure that it is always showing up on the first page and we are hoping it will be pinned as a 'sticky'. \O

Here it is: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g2 ... frica.html


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Mel
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Re: How Lions go from the Petting Zoo to the Dinner Plate

Post by Mel »

Interesting, mith, thanks \O

I didn't even know that tripadvisor offered a forum as well :shock:


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Re: How Lions go from the Petting Zoo to the Dinner Plate

Post by Lisbeth »

That's great Mousie. The Tripadvisor forum is maybe the most visited travel forum on the Internet \O


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Flutterby
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Re: Threats to Lions

Post by Flutterby »

Documenting true lion numbers in Botswana
Date: September 4, 2013 | Posted in News | South African News

A team of brave researchers and lion conservationists are currently documenting the true number of lions in Botswana’s national parks. Due to funding, they are not using darts or collars to perform this dangerous task, but rely mainly on tracking them by spoor to find out their true numbers.
The Write News Agency interviewed Marnus Roodbol, a South African who embarked with the team on this remarkable journey that started at the beginning of July this year. Roodbol is a member of the non-profitable organisation, Walking for Lions (WFL) whose mission it is to save the last wild lions of Africa.
Roodbol explained that it is estimated that there may be between 1000 to 2000 wild lions left in Botswana, but he seriously doubts the accuracy of this information and estimates there may be less than 1000 left.
“Many people go on word of mouth with regards to the density of lions. Their numbers are in fact low and this is one of the main reasons why we needed to come here and try to count them. We need more practical evidence of their numbers and movements. All I can say is that we have a lot less than originally thought,” Roodbol says.


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Lisbeth
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Re: Threats to Lions

Post by Lisbeth »

Toko wrote:
Toko wrote:South Africa as a major destination for tourism might be branded for abuse of wildlife and loose european visitors.

Many european media carried this story a long time ago and have been reporting again lately.
Now it made it to the most serious German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel :shock:

The German version is in the print edition, but the english text is now also on the online magazine:

Part 1: The Tragic Plight of Lions in Africa

Part 2: Trophy Hunting
We all have the same problem, at least on this forum: WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!!! O/ O/

My old saying never belies itself: "There is not limit to human stupidity" (0!) (0!)


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iNdlovu
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Re: Threats to Lions

Post by iNdlovu »

We all have the same problem, at least on this forum: WE JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!!!! O/ O/

My old saying never belies itself: "There is not limit to human stupidity" (0!) (0!)
-O- Lis, what don't we understand especially on this forum


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Re: Threats to Lions

Post by Lisbeth »

We don't arrive to understand how people can arrive at killing an animal for the fun of it or believe that a grated rhino horn can be a cure for anything!!


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Re: Threats to Lions

Post by iNdlovu »

Aha, thanks. I agree with you 100% It's the old money thing again O/ O/ O/


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Duke

Removal of Zuma ad unconstitutional

Post by Duke »

Removal of Zuma ad unconstitutional

Johannesburg - The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg ruled on Thursday that the Airports Company SA (Acsa) and Primedia acted unconstitutionally by censoring an advertising campaign at OR Tambo International Airport, said activist group Avaaz.

Avaaz took the companies to court after its posters depicting President Jacob Zuma watching over a lioness about to be shot with a handgun were removed from the airport in Kempton Park.

The caption on the posters read: "President Zuma can save her [the lioness's] life".

The posters were part of a campaign to prevent trade in lion bones.

"This decision is a victory for citizens everywhere who now can begin, again, calling on President Zuma to end the brutal lion bone trade before lions are wiped out for good," said Avaaz campaign director Emma Ruby-Sachs.

Avaaz said Acsa asked Primedia to remove the posters because it was concerned that the inclusion of Zuma's image and name in the poster would cause a "public relations nightmare".

Acsa spokesperson Unathi Batyashe-Fillis said the company would comment after studying the written judgment.


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Re: Removal of Zuma ad unconstitutional

Post by Duke »

Avaaz lion bones adverts were censored, finds ConCourt

Image

My Bold

The adverts were put on 10 pillars in the arrivals section of the airport in August 2012. They depicted a lioness with a gun pointed at its head. President Jacob Zuma is in the background, with a caption saying, "Our lions are being slaughtered to make bogus sex potions for Asia. Will President Zuma save them? Urge him to stop the deadly lion bone trade now."

Avaaz had a contract with Primedia and the Airports Company of South Africa to run the adverts in the terminal for a month. They were controversial and after nine days were taken down. Communications between employees of the airports company, contained in the court papers, showed that they were worried that the inclusion of President Zuma would cause a "public relations nightmare".

​Another internal email from Tebogo Mekgoe, the airport's assistant general manager, said there was "an implicit message in the content of the advert that says the president is standing by while our lions are being killed and is thus complicit in the killings".

The advocacy group challenged the removal in court, arguing that their Constitutional right to freedom of speech had been violated. They had also not been given their guaranteed fair process, as the adverts had been removed before they were consulted.

Unconstitutional
​The Constitutional Court agreed with the advocacy group and said the airports company had acted unconstitutionally in taking the posters down and that this had to be remedied. It ordered that the adverts be put back up in the airport.

A petition by Avaaz demanding that President Zuma stop the trade in lion bones was signed by more than 700 000 people.

South Africa is the largest exporter of lion bones and the latest government figures show a 250% increase in these exports between 2009 and 2010. Yet in May, the Government decided against taking action on this issue. In part as a result of this trade, reports estimate that the lion population in Africa has dropped from roughly 200 000 in the late 1970s to approximately 20 000 today with only 2 200 of those remaining in South Africa.

Avaaz has 240 000 members in South Africa and over 27-million members from all over the world.

The soaring demand for lion bones – South African exports grew 250% between 2009 and 2010 – has been driven by the scarcity of tigers in Asia. Their bones are now being used in traditional brews which in lieu of tigers. These are thought to have healing properties – a similar belief to the one that has driven the massive growth in rhino poaching.

There are an estimate 2 200 lions left in the wild in South Africa, with another 4 000 coming under the ownership of captive lion breeders. A full set of a lion skeleton could be sold for as much as R40 000. The trade is legal in South Africa, which is what drove Avaaz do ask that it be banned.


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