Johannesburg - Four Paws pleaded with the government to urgently consider legislative changes to stop the commercial trade of all big cats in South Africa.
This followed a damning report, released this week, which revealed the shocking extent to which South Africa had allowed the captive breeding of tigers for commercial trade.
Due to the lack of protective legislation regarding big cats in South Africa, there has been an increase in the commercial trade in live animals and their parts recently, particularly those of tigers.
Four Paws claimed the lack of effective regulations regarding private breeding and commercial trade was perpetuating illegal wildlife trade and contributing to the decline of big cat populations across the globe.
It wants the SA Department for Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to include all big cat species within the protective legislation it plans to implement for lions.
The report revealed the extent to which South Africa had allowed the captive breeding of tigers for commercial trade in live tigers and their parts, while also stating that the number of tigers in South Africa remains unknown to the authorities.
This commercial trade in tiger parts flouts agreements set out by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) that state “tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts and derivatives”, Four Paws said.
Fiona Miles, director of Four Paws in South Africa, told the Saturday Star this week: The lack of effective regulations, laws, and monitoring of big cat trade in South Africa is sentencing these species to a life of commercial exploitation and to be killed so they can be used as luxury goods and in traditional medicine.
“The lack of effective regulations for species like tigers, combined with the existence of a legal captive lion industry and bone trade has allowed a legal industry to flourish, while also acting as a conduit for an illegal trade.”
The principal author of the report, Kieran Harkin, said: “Under the convention of Cites, parties have agreed on a decision that states that tigers should not be intensively bred for a trade in their body parts.”
Miles said: “It is clear that South Africa is overtly allowing tigers and other big cats to be intensively bred for commercial trade in their body parts.
“This is unacceptable as the farming of tigers for commercial trade has detrimental effects on wild tiger populations. South Africa is playing a significant role in contributing to the decline of a species which is non-native to Africa. They need to shut down this industry to help reverse the decline of all big cats and not just the tiger.”
He said the South African departments responsible for environmental affairs should have detailed knowledge of their keeping and trade.
“The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has a responsibility in this regard, and should be expected, at the very least, to keep records of the number of tigers kept in the country. Limpopo was one of the provinces that did respond to PAIA requests from us, and their records indicate there are 62 tigers in Limpopo Province alone,” Miles said.
Captive bred live tigers and tiger parts are being exported from South Africa in high numbers, many of which are for commercial and personal purposes.
Between 2011 and 2020, 359 live tigers were exported from South Africa, mainly to Vietnam, China and Thailand, which are known hot spots for demand in tiger parts and illegal trade.
Tiger trophies were the second most frequent tiger item to be exported from South Africa, with 54 leaving South Africa during this time.
Miles said: “The captive big cat industry in South Africa has been allowed to grow without effective regulation. Because of this, illegal networks have been established and are prospering. Breeders, taxidermists, agents, slaughterhouses, and foreign buyers – to name a few – are all active in exporting live animals, big cat parts and derivatives from South Africa to known wildlife trade hot spots around the world.
“Countries around the world should be alarmed by this. With countries uniting to help better protect big cats, South Africa needs to play its role in conserving big cats.”
She said these big cats were subjected to horrifying living conditions.
“It is common to dozens of big cats – lions, tigers, ligers (cross breed between a male lion and a female tiger), all confined to very small enclosures. The animals often do not have adequate shelter, are malnourished and lack veterinary care.
“This is an industry based on profit, so animal welfare is not at the forefront of thought. This has been evidenced by many organisations, including ourselves when we released investigative footage from farms in November last year, that showed the kind of keeping conditions: overcrowding, many animals suffering from mange, dirty water, inadequate enclosures, etc,” Miles said.
She said Four Paws had identified a number of places in the country that had been farming tigers for commercial trade and for their live parts; however it was up to authorities to conduct inspections and criminal investigations.
“Several facilities known to farm tigers for the trade are listed in the report. These were listed to evidence the farming of tigers. We chose facilities that were already in the public eye for farming tigers or illegal trade. These were found already published in news outlets, and in many cases the facilities themselves had published images of tigers, either on social media or their websites.
“We can highlight farms and what happens in this industry as an organisation dedicated to animal welfare; however it will be up to the authorities to conduct inspections and any criminal investigations,” Miles said.
With South Africa being the largest exporter of live big cats and their parts globally, she said the country had a huge responsibility to end the commercial breeding of all big cats and end the export and commercial trade (including those for trophies and personal uses).
The first step would be to effectively change legislation regarding the protection of big cats in the country.
“There have already been some steps towards a change in South African legislation when it announced the end of captive lion breeding and farming in 2021,” she said.
Miles said this new legislation did not cover non-indigenous species and left other big cat species vulnerable.
“Hence why we’re calling on the government to include all big cat species. The country needs to implement existed Cites Decisions, including strict monitoring to ensure those laws are enforced.
“It must identify facilities of concern and take appropriate action to protect animals from entering illegal trade. The international community must do the same, and ensure commercial facilities breeding big cats transition from commercial exploitation models and only breed for strict conservation purposes that are supportive to the conservation of big cats,” she said.
Miles said new international agreements, or the converging of existing agreements (Cites), must include all five big cat species.
With the demand for tiger parts increasing rapidly, she said it was important that the government acted with urgency.
“The places with the highest demand for tiger parts are the same places we have seen for decades, such as Vietnam and China – and this demand has not decreased. The use of their parts are likely for traditional medicine and luxury items. Because there are so few tigers now left and trade restrictions on tiger parts should be very tight, we have seen lion products entering the market as substitutes for tiger parts – as their parts are not easily distinguishable between species once the skin is removed. This means all big cats are increasingly threatened.
“South Africa needs to end the commercial breeding of all big cats and stop the export and commercial trade in live big cats and parts, including trophies. National legislation and international agreements should be re-examined since they are clearly not working.
“We have a responsibility to protect our own threatened species and prevent the exploitation of non-native big cats. If we do not, we put all big cat species at risk of one day, only existing behind bars,” she said.
Miles said Four Paws was calling for South Africa to end its big cat industry and reverse its role as an exporter of big cats and their parts.
“This would give the relevant enforcement authorities a better chance at being able to tackle the illegal trade within and from South Africa. While the focus of the report is on the South African industry, it further states the need for global change if we are to reverse the decline of the world’s big cat species.
“2022 marks the Chinese Zodiac ‘Year of the Tiger’, and with it Four Paws not only celebrates this endangered species but also highlights the urgent need for change. Today, this beloved big cat is threatened with extinction. Let’s #BreakTheViciousCycle for all tigers worldwide,” she said.