Petting a lion in South Africa? (page 3 of 10)

The cheetah is In my opinion A special case A highly endangered species A species that’s easier to domesticate or nearly so These cheetahs are far less subject to trafficking A real return to the wild remains very unlikely, but conservation in dedicated spaces is possible If there are only cheetahs and no other big cats, I’d be less suspicious The question is always Is there reproduction or not? How many cheetahs are there?

Cheetah outreach Okay We're in an area where cheetahs haven't been around for ages They breed them In the videos, you see a crowd waiting to pet the cubs Six hours a day So Not my thing

The second one seems more serious. No cubs to pet. Limited visiting time, which doesn’t guarantee you’ll be with cheetahs. No cubs. That’s a good sign.

Thanks so much, Michel, for all these details... we’ll skip it then 😉.

Good evening Michel,

Cheetahs are less subject to trafficking: really??????? I don’t know about Namibia, but I can tell you that in East Africa, it’s a whole different story. Among oil merchants and other wealthy individuals in the Gulf, it’s fashionable to have a wild animal as a pet, and unfortunately, cheetahs are the victims. To make them docile, they must be taken when they’re very young. It’s very easy to capture the cubs because the mothers have no means of defense against poachers, knowing full well that their survival depends solely on their speed and that an injury would jeopardize their future. Parks like the Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Tsavo, and others are seeing their populations decline year after year.

In Namibia, many national reserves or other such places were, not so long ago, breeding farms where predators—especially cheetahs—were unwelcome, and they were shot without mercy (I remember those not-so-distant times). Today, it’s become a business: people approach them, touch them, sell them to zoos or elsewhere, and sometimes, I hope, they’re left in peace for the enjoyment of curious nature lovers. It’s true that seeing the faces of these little cheetahs makes you want to pet them, play with them—this is coming from a senior who’s never done it, but I can imagine what it’d be like for a child!

Once again, bravo for all the topics you cover on the site.

Best regards, Jacky.

"Do less to see more!"

Hello,

Less of a trafficking issue in South Africa...

As you mentioned, trafficking isn’t absent, and the same stories are told about cheetahs and lions.

Still, I think some places are genuine rescue centers, especially in Namibia.

The problem with cheetahs is that their population is so small that genetic diversity is extremely poor.

For example, skin grafts can be done from one cheetah to another without any rejection!

Several organizations, including one with French involvement (yay!), are helping restore genetic diversity through artificial insemination.

This is far from those pseudo-rescue centers and pseudo-reserves—I’ve seen one run by a French speaker near Hoedspruit, with supposedly wild cheetahs roaming freely near the lodge pool, letting people approach... fed with kibble, these "wild" cheetahs.

That’s why we, as gullible tourists, need to be extremely cautious...

Already, places where cheetahs are born and where you can pet cubs... avoid them!

Just to revive this post and remind future travelers of a few things.

The industry is estimated to be worth as much as R1bn. The Network for Animals (NFA) has called on South African decision-makers to urgently address the legislative gaps around canned lion hunting. The lion population is dropping rapidly across Africa. A century ago, around 200,000 lions roamed the continent, and now there are only about 25,000 left. At this rate, by 2119, there may be none left. About 200 facilities across South Africa breed lions for canned hunting, and as many as 6,000 lions are stockpiled for hunters, the NFA said in a statement on Saturday.

"South Africa is considered the top destination for canned lion hunting, and we urgently call on South African decision-makers to address the legislative gaps around this cruel practice," said NFA chief campaigner David Barritt in the statement. "Canned lion hunting is illegal in South Africa, but captive-bred lion hunting is allowed. Lions are bred in captivity and kept in small enclosures until they are shot and killed," he said.

There’s a fine line between the two—and regulations differ by province, creating confusion that canned lion hunters take advantage of. "The result is that South Africa is now the worst offender in Africa for a practice that has been universally condemned as cruel. Our country is now the world’s largest exporter of trophy lion heads," he said. No government could condone the drugging and shooting of captive animals in a travesty of hunting that frequently leads to a lion dying a slow, lingering death, riddled with bullets. It’s time to close the legislative loopholes because canned lion hunting brings shame to South Africa. Barritt said the government had so far been ignoring calls to completely outlaw canned lion hunting. Trophy hunting is big business in South Africa and, according to BBC News, it was worth almost R1 billion in 2013. "But this is generally understood to be for wild animals, not those bred in captivity just to be shot," the BBC reported, posing the question: "Are lion hunters in South Africa shooting tame animals?" Barritt said. "The clear answer to that is yes. When a lioness gives birth, her cubs are forcibly taken from her and used as a petting tool for tourists, who often pose and take photos with them. When these tamed lions get bigger and harder to handle, they’re moved to an enclosed area and stay there until someone pays to shoot them," said Barritt.

"They can’t run, hide, or defend themselves in any way. These animals are frequently drugged to make it easier for hunters, who often shoot the creature while sitting in their nearby vehicles. In most cases, it takes several shots before the animal dies. And canned lion hunting isn’t the only danger lions face. "Lions are being poached for their paws and bones to be exported to Asian countries, where they’re marketed as virtual magic potions, a cure for all ills. It’s ridiculous nonsense with no scientific foundation, and if left unchecked, it will wipe out the lion population in Africa," said Barritt. – African News Agency (ANA)

Well, if Michel has become bilingual, I’m throwing in the towel...

Trilingual... you forgot Zulu!

(Okay... I can't translate all that into Zulu—I’m past my first year of kindergarten level...)

Even if you're not a native English speaker, I think the general idea comes across.

Activities for gullible tourists. Lions sacrificed on the altar of profit and the exploitation of goodwill. Fake hunters who must have some serious complexes (the kind below the belt and above the knees). Asians who believe in traditional medicine... when it’s good old penicillin that saves them.

"Are you going to South Africa? Don’t go petting lions... no matter what tall tales they feed you!"

"Look for them in Kruger or elsewhere... and if you don’t find any, go back!"

Great to hear from you! 🙂

Yes, totally agree with you, Michel! 🙂 But do you think we’ll have to go how many times... 20 times to see them? 😇 😮 😏

No, no, I’m not stalking you... it’s the lions I’m after 😏

Except when I only went to the Western Cape... I’ve seen them every year... except in Kgalagadi... even though it’s known for its lion population!

Heard the lion, saw the tracks, saw the tracks again just two steps from our accommodation, missed the lion drinking at the waterhole... which passes right next to our second accommodation...

The Kgalagadi curse!

Oh, cool! So I still have hope of seeing one someday 😄. In two trips, not a single one in my lens 😢, but it gives us a great excuse to go back to South Africa 😊.

Lions in Namibia count too, so you shouldn’t stay empty-handed for much longer. At worst, I’ll post some more photos in 2 weeks. 😛 2 days to go before heading to Lesotho. Bright sunshine, almost no morning frosts expected, and hopefully no wind on Sunday for the chain hike... 😇 Clementines already booked in Clarens... Pure bliss!!

Lions in Namibia count too, so you shouldn’t stay empty-handed for much longer.

No, they don’t count... We want to see them in South Africa because otherwise, there are those that pose all day for visitors 😏.



At worst, I’ll post some more photos in two weeks. 😛

Yeah, right, rub it in...

D-2 before departure for Lesotho. Bright sunshine, almost no morning frosts expected, and normally no wind on Sunday for the chain hike... 😇 The Clementines already booked in Clarens... Pure bliss!!

Cool! Plus, if the weather’s on your side, where else are you headed? But I think you’ve got a sleeping bag after your winter trip to the US—time to make the most of it now 😉. Wishing you an amazing holiday and can’t wait to hear all about it when you’re back 😎.

Thanks Isabelle. It’s still easier to have good weather when you bring your wife along...

But I think you packed a sleeping bag after your winter trip to the USA—gotta make the most of them now 😉

We’re not planning to camp. However, next year in Namibia, we’ll be doing almost nothing but that, and our sleeping bags will finally come in handy...

Have a great trip! 🙂

Thanks Agnès. We’re all as excited as kids on Christmas Eve... 😏

Safe travels, Guillaume... and a beautiful travel journal (full of lions ;)) when you get back. Muriel

Hi there,

Thanks for this really informative post! It’s clear that people need to understand wild animals aren’t meant to be petted—they’re meant to stay wild... A lion cub isn’t a house cat.