A three-year investigation into South Africa’s captive lion industry has revealed significant animal welfare problems, including cramped enclosures, early separation of cubs from mothers, and excessive human interaction. Researchers found that no facility provided a high quality of life for the lions.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Johannesburg, University of Cambridge, and Manchester Metropolitan University, investigated 34 commercial captive lion venues. They observed issues such as restricted mobility, with lions confined to spaces as small as 250 square meters compared to their wild ranges of hundreds of square kilometers. Cubs were often separated from their mothers too early for petting and bottle-feeding activities, and artificial social groupings were common.
The findings support South Africa’s 2021 decision to phase out the captive lion industry. The researchers argue that a complete end to the industry is necessary, and that plans to phase out commercial lion breeding should include other captive predators to prevent businesses from switching to exploiting different species. They emphasize that captive animals require more than just food and shelter, needing a good quality of life.
Source: Down To Earth