South Africa’s Out-Of-Control Big Cat Industry

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“South Africa’s out-of-control big cat industry – and how to tackle it,” Four Paws, December 2024 “South Africa is the world’s largest exporter of live tigers and their parts despite not having any captive-breeding facilities registered in terms of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).  This is according …

Prohibition of New Captive Lion Facilities Consultation

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Banner Image: Dr Dion George, The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment – courtesy of DFFE Consultation submissions invited within 30 day (from 15 November 2024) – Government Notice 5555 of 2024 “National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (10/2004): Consultation on the Draft Notice prohibiting certain activities involving African Lion (Panthera …

Roadmap to Closing Captive Tiger Facilities of Concern

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“Current estimates indicate that there are at least 8,900 tigers being held in more than 300 facilities in East and Southeast Asia. Over 6,000 of these tigers are located in China, with the remaining animals found almost exclusively in Thailand (approx. 1,635), Lao PDR (451); and Vietnam (395)….The rate at which tigers are bred, …

To skin a cat: how organised crime capitalises and exploits captive tiger facilities

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“Although the international trade in tigers has been prohibited since 1975 when they were classified as an Appendix I species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), tigers continue to be bred in legal and illegal captive facilities – otherwise known as tiger farms. In …

Year of the Tiger?

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Big cat farming in South Africa: the need for international action “South Africa is intensively breeding tigers and lions for a commercial trade in live animals and their body parts. There is also a significant commercial trade in leopard parts through hunting trophies and trade in live jaguars and their parts from captive sources. The trade …