The Directors and Management of Lion Encounter have agreed to suspend lion walks in Livingstone as of November 2015, acting on recommendations by, and in consultation with, ALERT’s Executive Committee. The main objective of this decision is to reduce the number of lions entering into the African Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild Programme, until lions have been successfully released into the wild from the programme.
This decision, made in late February 2014, was announced to members of the African Lion Working Group the following month. In accordance with the stipulations of the Tourism Concession Agreement, under which Lion Encounter operates, the Zambia Wildlife Authority was notified in October 2014. To enable Lion Encounter to introduce alternative strategies, a public announcement was deferred to a time closer to the effective date. These strategies aim to provide job security to Lion Encounter’s staff, whilst continuing to raise finance to support the Release Programme, as well as ALERT’s broader conservation and community development programmes; many of which are operated in partnership with Lion Encounter.
For the time being, lion walks will continue at Lion Encounter Victoria Falls and at Antelope Park, but at a reduced level. Suspension of lion walks at these locations will also be considered in light of progress made on releasing lions over the next two years.
In related news, The Australian government is banning the import and export of hunting ‘trophies’ made from the body parts of lions, in an attempt to help curb the organized hunting of Africa’s wildlife. Read More…: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/13/australia-bans-hunting-trophies-from-lions-entering-or-leaving-the-country
