Lion bone sales affecting tigers badly

FILE- In this file photo lions yawn in the Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa. The South Africa Environmental Affairs Department said in June 2017, that the skeletons of 800 captive-bred lions can be legally exported this year, meeting demand for traditional medicine ingredients predominantly in parts of Asia. (AP Photo/Kevin Anderson, FILE)

FILE- In this file photo lions yawn in the Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa. The South Africa Environmental Affairs Department said in June 2017, that the skeletons of 800 captive-bred lions can be legally exported this year, meeting demand for traditional medicine ingredients predominantly in parts of Asia. (AP Photo/Kevin Anderson, FILE)

Published Jul 15, 2017

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South Africa’s “reckless profiteering” of the lion bone trade threatens the world’s dwindling population of endangered wild tigers because it stimulates demand for tiger parts and derivatives.

“Asia’s massive unchecked demand for skins, bones, teeth and claws continues to drive the poaching of wild tigers. This demand is exacerbated by the supply of huge volumes of African lion bone, teeth and claws.”

Yesterday the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) released its briefing report The Lion’s Share: South Africa’s trade exacerbates demand for tiger parts and derivatives, ahead of next week’s 29th meeting of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) Animals Committee, in Switzerland, to outline the threat to wild tigers.

“The proliferation of lion and tiger farms in South Africa and the associated trade from such facilities undermines enforcement efforts to end illegal tiger trade and stimulates demand for tiger parts and derivatives. Given consumer preferences for wild-sourced tiger parts, this also sustains poaching pressure on wild tigers.”

Cites has determined a quota of 800 skeletons (with or without skulls) of captive bred lions from South Africa, the world’s biggest exporter of lion bones.

“South Africa reiterates its concern that if the trade in bones originating from captive bred lions is prohibited, lion bones may be sourced illegally from wild lion populations,” stated the Department of Environmental Affairs in June. “A well-regulated trade will enable the department to monitor a number of issues relating to the trade, including the possible impact on the wild populations.”

But the EIA disagrees. “The government’s misconceived rationale for such a trade is purportedly to protect the wild lion population in South Africa.

“The move, however, fails to take into consideration the fact that there are significant enforcement challenges in distinguishing between wild and captive lion skeletons and that its decision will also stimulate demand for big cat bone products.

“It also ignores the failed experiment in China, where the parallel legal trade in skins from captive tigers has not put an end to wild tiger poaching.

“Contrary to the assertion of pro-tiger farming and trade advocates, the legal trade in skins of captive-bred tigers in China did not flood the market with cheap alternatives and failed to take into account consumer preferences.”

The huge influx of lion parts - legal exports of lion skeletons and parts from South Africa account for more than 4200 lions since 2008 - into countries where they are marketed as tiger “has not reduced poaching and trafficking pressure on tigers”.

Fewer than 4000 tigers remain in the wild, in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, and as few as seven wild tigers have been estimated to be left in China. More than half of the global wild tiger population is found in India.

“However, in 2016, tigers in India faced the highest level of poaching in 15 years and almost a two-fold increase over the previous year.”

Since 2000, more than 950 tiger skins have been either seized or observed in the illegal trade, over 270 carcasses, 1800kg of bones and 12000 bottles of tiger bone wine have also been seized.

Lion bone exports stimulate demand for tiger parts and derivatives “since large amounts of lion bone and derivatives are marketed as tiger and offered for sale in China and South-East Asia”.

@sheree_bega

The Saturday Star

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