SOUTH AFRICA UNVEILS NEW LION HUNTING LAWS 
 

Litt’s, the UK’s leading provider of hunting and shooting equipment and top of the range country clothing, can reveal that the South African government has introduction legislation aimed at banning so-called ‘canned’ hunting. 

Canned hunting sees animals such as lions bred in captivity purely for the purpose of being hunted, but the new laws mean that an animal must be released into the wild and allowed to roam free for at least two years before it can then be pursued. 

The legislation will also ban the hunting of thick-skinned animals such as rhinos with bows and arrows and will make it illegal to hunt an animal that has been tranquillised.  Also outlawed is hunting large predators in confining enclosures that allow them no chance of escape as well as using vehicles to chase an animal until it is too tired to run. 

Marthinus Van Schalkyk, South Africa’s Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister and the man behind the new laws, told a press conference, “We are putting an end, once and for all, to the reprehensible practice of canned hunting. 

“South Africa has a long-standing reputation as a global leader on conservation issues.  We cannot allow our achievements to be undermined by rogue practices such as canned lion hunting. 

“Hunting should be about fair chase and testing the wits of a hunter against that of the animal.  Over the years, that got eroded, and now we are trying to re-establish that principal.”  

Every year thousands of wealthy tourists pour into South Africa from all over the world with the intention of taking home the ultimate prize: a mounted lion’s head. 

Such shooting trips contribute hundreds of millions of pounds to South Africa’s economy and, understandably, the ban has been met with anger by those who make their living from the hunting industry. 

Conservationists and animal rights protestors have also complained that the ban doesn’t go far enough.  Some say that putting a two-year ban on hunting a lion reared by humans makes no difference because, once tamed, the animal will trust humans for the rest of its life. 

Louise Joubert, an animal sanctuary owner in the Limpopo province of the country, believes that the new legislation is inadequate, saying, “The big thing for South Africa would be to stand up and say ‘we are conservation leaders, and this industry is immoral and unethical, and we are not going to allow it’.” 

The debate about the new laws is sure to continue long into the future but one thing is sure: anyone who fancies an easy chance of bagging a lion has only got a few months to stock up on their hunting and shooting equipment and make their way over to South Africa.