World Lion Day 2026: United for Lions

Conservation and welfare organisations urge renewed commitment and action to end South Africa’s captive lion industry.

Cape Town – In honour of World Lion Day observed on 10 August, four leading animal welfare and conservation organisations are renewing calls for South Africa to honour its commitment to phase out the commercial captive lion industry.

As part of World Lion Day, FOUR PAWS South Africa, Humane World for Animals South Africa, Voice4Lions and Blood Lions hosted a virtual press conference today to provide an update on the current status of the industry, highlight recent research and evidence to reinforce the need for decisive action and outline the practical next steps needed to ensure that South Africa’s current captive lion population is the last generation bred for commercial exploitation.

“The key message today is that there remains a significant gap between policy intentions and reality. Government has committed to phasing out the captive lion breeding industry, yet captive lion breeding remains legal and the industry remains largely operational. Closing that gap is now the critical challenge, because until policy commitments are translated into implementation, lions will continue to be born into an industry that government itself has recognised does not form part of South Africa’s future wildlife vision. As we commemorate World Lion Day, we call for urgent action to turn years of consultation, recommendations and commitments into tangible change for lions,” says Fiona Miles, Director at FOUR PAWS South Africa.

Despite former Minister Barbara Creecy’s announcement in May 2021 that South Africa would phase out the commercial captive lion industry, the industry remains fully legal. “The reports that emanated from the High Level Panel and Ministerial Task Team provided a positive way forward, yet five years later we are still waiting for a result and the industry continues to thrive”, says Linda Park, Co-Founder & Director at Voice4Lions. Since November 2025, no progress has been made towards progressing and implementing the necessary policy changes to bring this commitment into effect. This has left around 8,000 lions vulnerable to continued breeding and commercial exploitation.

World Lion Day serves as an important reminder that South Africa’s lions belong in thriving, functioning ecosystems, not in breeding facilities where they are commodified throughout their lifecycle.

“We encourage Minister Maynier to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors and continue the process of ending the captive lion breeding industry by, first, prohibiting the establishment of new captive lion breeding facilities and, second, prohibiting the breeding of captive lions. These measures would send a clear signal that South Africa is committed to a new approach to the management of captive wildlife”, says Dr Matthew Schurch, Senior Specialist: Wildlife at Humane World for Animals South Africa.

The coalition remains committed to working collaboratively with the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, his Department, stakeholders, and the public to achieve a responsible, science-based and humane transition away from the commercial captive lion industry in such a way that South Africa’s international conservation and tourism reputation is protected.

According to Dr Stephanie Klarmann, Campaign Coordinator at Blood Lions, “the South African government has an opportunity to take decisive action and demonstrate global leadership in animal welfare, biodiversity governance, and reliance on evidence-based decision-making by ensuring their commitment is translated into action.”

For more information, please visit our website at www.four-paws.org.za

Author: Deidre Daniels.