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Individuals in the captive lion industry are invited to voluntarily give up their stockpiles of lion bones and derivatives. 

In South Africa, which has the world's largest captive lion population of around 8,000, the captive lion industry faces escalating ethical, regulatory, conservation, economic hurdles, as well as misalignment with global conservation trends and persistent animal welfare and other issues. The industry's deficiency in social license and departure from international norms present formidable problems to its sustainability.

As a result, in December 2022, the then-Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Barbara Creecy, appointed a Ministerial Task Team to identify and recommend voluntary exit and pathways from the captive lion industry. Recommendations, dated 15 February 2024, were submitted to the Minister and the report was released. The Minister re-appointed some of the Ministerial Task Team members, to facilitate the implementation of the outcomes of the Report. The Terms of Reference were published under Government Notice No 4765, Government Gazette No. 50574 of 26 April 2024. 

The report recommended voluntary exit options from the captive lion industry, including options involving lion bone stockpiles and derivatives (whole lion carcasses, skeletons, skins, teeth, claws, and other parts). It also recommended the implementation of a programme to acquire and legally dispose of legal lion bone stockpiles, for facilities that comply with voluntary exit requirements outlined in the report. The Department will facilitate the acquisition of legal lion bones stockpiles through a contractual agreement between the volunteering legal lion bone owners and any third parties to the agreement. Parties with live captive lions willing to voluntarily register for this programme, will be required to sterilise their lions, refrain from acquiring or accepting any additional live captive lions, and ensure the maintenance of welfare and other standards for the lions in their care. Parties to the voluntary exit programme will be required to apply for the necessary Threatened and Protected Species (TOPS) permits. 

The current Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, hereby invites persons who wish to consider the voluntary exit options involving lion bones and derivatives, to register their interest by submitting their details to the Department using the details provided below. All information provided is treated confidentially, and registration does not constitute any obligation to proceed with voluntary exit options. 

Minister George said, “In developing the voluntary exit options and pathways, several key guiding principles were considered including the imperative of preventing unemployment for vulnerable individuals and underlying pillars of sustainable use. I encourage everyone who has lion bones and derivatives to voluntarily surrender them as early as possible.”

A detailed implementation process plan of surrendering lion stockpiles and derivatives will be communicated and shared in the public domain, once approved by the Minister and the registration process is concluded. Interested persons are invited to respond to this Notice, within 120 days from the date of publication in the Government Gazette.

Registration details: 

If you own lion bones and derivatives and you would consider voluntary exit from the captive lion industry, you can register your interest HERE: https://forms.gle/KiDqv8sru8pXLwhd7 download the form on the Departmental website: www.dffe.gov.za, once completed you may post/hand deliver/ email it as stipulated below.

By post to:        Director-General: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Attention:          Ms Ofentse Mashiyane (Secretariat of the Ministerial Task Team)

                         Private Bag X447

                         PRETORIA

                         0001 

By hand at:       Reception, Environment House, 473 Steve Biko Road, Arcadia, Pretoria, 0083

By email:          lionstockpile@dffe.gov.za

Any inquiries in connection with this Notice can be directed to omashiyane@dffe.gov.za and lionstockpile@dffe.gov.za.

Issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

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