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[READ] The High-Level Panel Report on Captive Breeding

News
09 May 2021
Citing the country’s reputation as a global leader in conservation and a growing public concern around the ethical nature of captive breeding, the HLP recommended government halt these practices.
group cute baby lions lying among grass middle field

An extensive report compiled by the High-Level Panel of Experts for the Review of Policies, Legislation and Practices on Matters of Elephant, Lion, Leopard and Rhinoceros Management, Breeding Hunting Trade and Handling (or the HLP) was recently presented to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment on various matters relating to the conservation, management and treatment of five of South Africa’s most iconic animals. Most notably, the report made a surprising recommendation which caught both conservationists and the hunting community off-guard: that the captive breeding, petting and hunting of lions be banned. 

Citing the country’s reputation as a global leader in conservation and a growing public concern around the ethical nature of captive breeding, the HLP recommended government halt these practices. Below are the 18 findings and recommendations made by the HLP regarding captive breeding as well as other matters related to wildlife practices:

  1. Firstly, the HLP recommends the development of a National Policy on Biodiversity and Sustainable Use, which will provide context, clarity and strategic direction to all stakeholders.
  2. The HLP highlights the importance of transformation of the sector, with empowerment and capacitation of communities living with wildlife, and recognition of their traditions and culture, as practiced through the traditional leaders and traditional healers. 
  3. The HLP notes the importance of thriving populations of the five iconic species as catalysts for a vibrant, responsible, inclusive, transformed, and sustainable wildlife sector, and has identified key aspects of wildlife land-use and the wildlife model that can be improved to achieve this. 
  4. For ongoing growth and sustainability, the HLP recognises that capacity building, education, training, and empowerment of human capital across the wildlife sector needs focus and attention.
  5. Standards and practices within the wildlife sector need to meet the minimum acceptable standards for animal welfare and well-being.
  6. Many stakeholders identified inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of governance of the wildlife sector caused by multiple mandates and dual competency between national and provinces, with this noted as requiring reform from a legislative and implementation practice perspective. 
  7. Careful consideration of conflicting legislation, policy and mandates between Environment and Agriculture.
  8. Rationalised and improved contribution of protected areas to support conservation and sustainable use of the five species, and to aid in serving as drivers of regional rural economies.
  9. South Africa’s international standing as a leader in conservation, and our reputation as a member of the global community, is threatened by some wildlife practices and approaches in South Africa – with a protocol, key interventions, and a risk mitigation and communication strategy required to deal with this. 
  10. The HLP emphasises the need for responsible, adaptive, transparent, and accountable management that secures thriving and sustainable populations of the five species and their habitats, for the benefit of all (wildlife, wildlife custodians, and society at large), while highlighting interventions to secure this. 
  11. The HLP identifies the need for South Africa to be repositioned and promoted as a destination of choice for legal, regulated and responsible hunting of the five iconic species, recognising that this supports and promotes conservation and rural livelihoods. 
  12. Live export of the five iconic species should focus on in situ conservation of the species within their natural range.
  13. There is a need for development of an integrated, shared, strategic, approach to leopard management that considers all the dimensions, and is inclusive of all stakeholders.
  14. As the HLP recommends a policy position stating that South Africa does not envisage submitting an ivory trade proposal to CITES as long as current specified circumstances prevail, alternative income streams need to be identified to support both elephant management and urgent socio-economic development requirements of people living with elephants.
  15. The HLP recommends that South Africa should take a global leadership position on rhino conservation, and that the Minister should lead a process of engagement to develop a consensus approach to both global conservation of rhino, and a range state consensus on international commercial trade in rhino horn, that can be taken to CITES when the Rhino Committee of Inquiry and Rhino Action Plan conditions are met; to this end, urgent progress needs to be made with the implementation of the Rhino Committee of Inquiry recommendations, while alternative benefit streams to international rhino horn sale are developed and implemented.
  16. The HLP recommends investigating the full range of options for future stockpile use, taking into account social and economic risks, costs, and benefits.
  17. The majority of the HLP recommends that the current trend of increasing intensive management and registration of rhino captive breeding operations is reversed within a period that allows for a sustainable conservation outcome, through phasing out captive rhino breeding, and providing clarity that trade in captive rhino horn would not be supported or approved prior to the Rhino Committee of Inquiry recommendations being met.
  18. Three different approaches to captive lions are presented by the panel, with the majority view being that, in future, South Africa will not captive breed lions, keep lions in captivity, or use captive lions or their derivatives commercially.

 

CLICK HERE for the full HLP Report.