Captive Animal Breeding: Wildlife or Commodity?

These breeding facilities exist to provide prey to the wickedest of all animal 'sports', called canned hunting.  Canned hunting takes place in an enclosure too small to allow an animal any chance of escape, with hunted animals often drugged or sedated and conditioned to trust humans.

Large predators are also increasingly bred in captivity to supply the wildlife trade.  If a sweeping clampdown on “canned hunting” does take place, the wildlife trade will continue to support these breeding centres.

Last month the SA Government took delivery of a report by a Panel of Experts on Professional and Recreational Hunting intended to inform the way in which the hunting industry in South Africa will be regulated in the future. These decisions will be made in early 2006.

IFAW Goes Undercover

Earlier this year, IFAW Southern Africa commissioned a journalist to undertake an investigation to ascertain the extent of the captive breeding industry its links to canned hunting and the trade in wild animals. IFAW also commissioned a legislative review to provide insight into the gaps found in the regulatory framework.

The results of the IFAW investigation provide an independent corroboration of an industry out of control and with no regard for the fundamentals of animal welfare.  While lions still comprise the majority of animals bred in captivity, the number of cheetah and rare wild dogs being bred and traded seems to be increasing.

Of grave concern are the substantial number of exotic large predators such as tiger, jaguar, puma and wolves in breeding facilities. There are at least 60 tigers in captive breeding facilities, some of which are being cross-bred with indigenous species to create “ligers” or “tigons.” The investigation also found a growing demand for rare natural colour-morphs such as black leopard, white lion and “king cheetah” which are being intensively bred.

Equally concerning is the amount of money involved in trading and hunting large predators. The IFAW investigation provides video footage of animals being “farmed” and kept in small and inadequate cages, completely unsuited to their needs.  We also documented cubs taken from their mothers at a very young age, presumably to force the female into another early pregnancy.

Put a Stop to Captive Breeding of Predators

IFAW's findings conclude that nothing less than the adoption of an outright ban on “canned” hunting and a severely restricted practice of captive breeding can be acceptable. Once adopted, these measures should be legislated and monitored to the hilt.

“While IFAW does not condone hunting, we would welcome the adoption of measures that would help stamp out the rampant abuses we know take place in this industry,” said Jason Bell-Leask, Southern Africa Director of IFAW.

“There is no choice for South Africa but to move quickly to ensure a better regulated, if still totally abhorrent industry and which no one - except those most likely to profit – would disagree is in dire need of an overhaul.

“The 'canned' hunters and those who force breed animals for profit need to know once and for all that their unethical behaviour is not acceptable and won’t be tolerated any longer,” he said.

IFAW will continue to support and lobby for the strongest possible set of Norms and Standards to be adopted into law to stamp out unethical hunting practices and the industries that support them, including captive breeding.