PRIDE NOT CRUELTY: A ROAR FOR CAPTIVE LIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa's lions, a symbol of national pride, have long faced a harsh reality - exploitation in commercial captive breeding facilities. Confined to unnatural environments, subjected to inadequate care, and ultimately destined for a life of entertainment or worse, these magnificent creatures suffer immensely. In 2023, World Animal Protection, Blood Lions, and Treeshake joined forces to launch the #PrideNotCruelty campaign, determined to end this cruel practice.
800 VOICES FOR 800 LIONS
The #PrideNotCruelty builds on the foundations of #800Lions, a campaign that started in 2020 by Blood Lions, World Animal Protection, and Treeshake, “to mobilise supporters and put pressure on the South African Government to continue setting a zero CITES lion bone export quota” (Blood Lions).
The campaign inspired the public to raise their voices for lions by creating lion-inspired art, whether this be drawing, painting, photography, music, poetry, or dance. While the aim was to reach 800 pieces of art, representing the quota of 800 lion skeletons South Africa exported every year for use in traditional medicine, we received nearly 1 300 art submissions, indicating overwhelming support from the public.
These artworks were submitted to Minister Barbara Creecy in the lead up to the G20 Summit, urging her to decide against a continuation of the legal trade in big cat bones and body parts (Blood Lions).
The PROBLEM: LIONS TRAPPED IN A CYCLE OF EXPLOITATION
In South Africa, there are an estimated 8,000 - 10,000 lions suffering in captivity on commercial lion breeding farms and only about 3,500 living in the wild. Confined to cramped enclosures, they endure inadequate living conditions, poor diets, and a lack of enrichment. This not only compromises their physical well-being but also inflicts deep psychological scars. Behaviours like pacing, self-mutilation, and lethargy become a tragic reflection of their captivity.
Photo credit: World Animal Protection
This exploitative industry not only disregards animal welfare but also perpetuates a misleading narrative. Canned hunting, where captive-bred lions are hunted in fenced enclosures, offers a pale imitation of a genuine conservation effort. Breeding facilities often claim to contribute to conservation by reintroducing lions to the wild, a practice doused in controversy with limited success. To this extent, allowing the commercial captive lion industry to continue could also damage Brand South Africa and negatively affect our tourism, our economy, and our people.
THE ASK: A CALL FOR A MANDATORY PHASE-OUT
The #PrideNotCruelty campaign had a clear and urgent ask: to urge the South African government, specifically Minister Barbara Creecy of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), to uphold her 2021 commitment. This commitment involved transitioning from a voluntary exit programme for captive lion breeders to a mandatory phase-out of the entire industry.
We recognised the progress made by Minister Creecy's initial announcement. However, a voluntary system left room for exploitation to continue. A mandatory phase-out would ensure a definitive end to this cruel practice.
THE ACTION: A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH TO CHANGE
At the heart of the #PrideNotCruelty campaign was a strategic mix of tactics to raise awareness and mobilise supporters. Here’s a closer look at the key elements:
Celebrity and Influencer outreach
A key component of advocacy is people. To turn the #PrideNotCruelty campaign into a movement and to encourage Minister Creecy to recommit to her 2021 promise, we needed to increase the number of people speaking out about the problem. To do this, we enlisted the help of key South African influencers, Farirai Sanyika - or Fari as she is fondly known by friends - the voice behind GoPhari, a blog and travel company for solo travellers, as well as 12-year-old eco-activist Romario Valentine. By leveraging their social networks, these prominent voices were able to reach a much wider audience, ultimately helping to spread the message of the campaign, and encouraging people to join the movement.
Advocacy toolkit
To empower individuals to become active participants and spread awareness of the realities of commercial captive lion breeding, we developed an advocacy toolkit, a set of researched, peer-reviewed and vetted resources. It comprises three powerful curated talking points (10, 000 Lions in Captivity, Exploited at Every Stage of Life, and Legal vs Illegal), each with their own graphics and call-to-action messages. The toolkit is a ready-made social media campaign available on the PrideNotCruelty website that users can just share on their profiles and other online platforms.
Free Your Creativity for Captive Lions
In another #PrideNotCruelty activation, we called on the creative people of South Africa. From 1-10 August 2023, the "Free Your Creativity" campaign empowered creative South Africans to express solidarity and compassion for these iconic apex predators through art. Drawing, sculpting, dancing, poetry, photography or any other form of artistic expression, to become a powerful tool for advocacy. Each creative expression became a call for change, a stride towards a South African future without lions in captivity.
THE IMPACT: A ROAR HEARD ACROSS SOUTH AFRICA
The #PrideNotCruelty campaign generated a phenomenal response:
Media Attention: The campaign garnered 39 media mentions, propelling the issue into the national spotlight.
Public Engagement: Over 15,000 online interactions were recorded, highlighting the widespread public support for ending the commercial captive lion breeding industry.
Creative Expression: The "Free Your Creativity" call to action yielded a powerful collection of artwork. These artistic expressions served as a powerful symbol of solidarity presented to Minister Creecy.
Public Activations: Six public activations were held, including screenings of the documentary "Blood Lions," live panel discussions, and creative events like "Lion's Head on Lion Day'' and "Draw with Marti Macfly." These events fostered a sense of community and collective action.
Department Taking a Stand: For the first time, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment posted publicly about the cause. Although, it was taken down 2 hours later, it was a win for the campaign.
Post credit: Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
A VICTORY FOR LIONS
Cabinet has approved a Policy Position to end the captive breeding of lions. This policy is the result of nearly a decade of inquiries, reports, a parliamentary colloquium, and a global effort by NGOs to raise public awareness and support for the ban. It details “eight voluntary exit options for captive lion breeders, which includes two mandatory prerequisites. The report notes that these voluntary exit options should only be the first step in the longer-term government objectives of ultimately closing the commercial captive lion industry in South Africa” (Blood Lions).
The adoption of the Policy Position aligns with the release of a draft Biodiversity Economy Strategy by the Environment Department. This strategy proposes a significant expansion of conservation areas, known as mega living conservation landscapes, from 20 million hectares to 34 million hectares by 2040. This ambitious goal represents an area equivalent to seven Kruger National Parks.
We're honoured to have played a part in the #PrideNotCruelty campaign, supporting this change. While there's still work ahead on finalising the implementation plan, this phased approach marks a significant step forward. We commend the Ministerial Task Team for their efforts, and we eagerly await the details of this crucial next chapter. For updates on the progress, follow Blood Lions on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
TREESHAKE TEAM
Advocacy & Impact Strategy: Dave Duarte
Campaign Director: Cordène Midgley
Mobilisation Lead: Elaine Rumboll
Content Strategist & Copywriter: Sigrid Kenmuir
Design: Amy Staak, Emma Ferns
Social Media: Emma Ferns
Paid Media: Aisha Isaacs
Technical Lead & UX: Schalk van der Merwe
Campaign & Community Coordinator: Megan Damon
PR & Influencers: Vukosi Mnisi