NSPCA – lion breeding establishments unsafe for public
LANSERIA – Lions bred in captivity are bored, confused and often very dangerous.
This according to Ainsley Hay, manager of the wildlife conservation unit at the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA). The animal protection organisation released a statement on 2 June on Facebook in the wake of the incident at Johannesburg Lion Park where a lioness killed an American woman.
They stated, “This was an entirely preventable tragedy, as members of the public should never be allowed any form of uncontrolled access to captive wild animals. This is in the animals’ and visitors’ best interest.”
Hay said it is ‘irresponsible’ of the park because the animals are hand reared and feel like they are at home, but when they grow up and realise they are in captivity, they end up bored and confused.
Hay said, “They are fed off vehicles by the park rangers, so they also associate vehicles with food and this becomes very dangerous for the public.”
Read an exclusive witness account of the attack
She added that they have grave concerns for both the animals and visitors. “The animals are used for entertainment, and the education they say they want to give to people, is next to nothing,” claimed Hay.
She said that because visitors are also given the opportunity to play with cubs, and they see posters throughout the park of rangers playing with adult lions, they tend not to realise the danger of the animals.
“These parks are different from places like Kruger National Park because there, the animals grow up in the wild and wild animals tend to be afraid of cars and people unless provoked. Animals brought up in enclosures are different, they are not afraid of humans,” she said.
According to Hay, the NSPCA has consistently lobbied to get places such as these closed, but to no avail.
Scott Simpson of Johannesburg Lion Park, said when feeding the lions, food is sometimes left in the enclosures for the lions to find when they come out of their pens. He said over weekends rangers drive around the enclosures and drop meat off the back of their bakkies.
Read the Lion Park’s statement on the attack
Read about the lion attack victim’s budding film career
He said he didn’t know if the lioness had cubs or not, and could not confirm or deny whether that is why she attacked.
Should places like these be kept open? Send your comments to us on Twitter @Fourways_Review
Related articles:
Cheetah attacks boy at Lion Park
Lion Park speaks out after tourist attacked by lion
