20 February 2007
North West MEC for Agriculture Conservation and Environment Mandlenkosi
Mayisela is to hold a quarterly meeting with lion farmers from across the
province this afternoon. Today's meeting coincides with the publishing of the
new regulations on threatened and protected species to be promulgated at 13h00
by the national Minister for Environment and Tourism. The game farmers have
previously expressed grave concerns regarding the impact of the new regulations
on their industry.
The MEC will meet the farmers at:
Time: 13h00
Venue: Lawn Farm (40 kilometres from Mafikeng, along the Vryburg Road)
Up for discussion will be the fact that the new national regulations require
that a lion be free to roam for 24 months on a farm before it can be hunted. In
contrast, the regulations of the North West currently only require the animal
to be free roaming for only 96 hours. "It is the feeling of my lion farming
stakeholders that the extended time frame required by the new national
regulations will almost certainly kill their industry. I have some sympathy
with their perspective on the matter," said Mayisela.
The North West Government earned an estimated R6 million in revenue from the
professional hunting of 260 lions in the fiscal year 2004/5 alone. Mayisela
will be meeting the game farmers to work out a way forward in the light of the
new regulations. "We hope to continue to engage the national minister to at
least allow provinces to work within their prevailing regulatory regimes."
It is the view of the MEC that lion hunting in the North West is currently
very well regulated and managed by his department. Game Farmers are required
to:
* obtain permits to keep lions
* have large, well fenced enclosures
* obtain permits to hunt animals
* to apply and have (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
CITES permits issued before lions can be transported outside of the country's
borders
* to have adequate levels of veterinary care
* be fed an appropriate diet.
The province has a population of 1 700 lions in captivity, worth an
estimated 85 million rand. The kept lions industry employs over 900 keepers
with an infrastructure and land investment of over 700 million rands.
Communities such as Ganyesa in the Bophirima district make a significant living
by supplying donkeys to the lion farmers.
Members of the media are invited to this meeting.
For further information contact:
Ms Lesego Mncwango
Tel: (018) 389 5768 / 5346
Cell: 082 220 6367
E-mail: Lmncwango@nwpg.gov.za
Issued by: Department Of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, North
West Provincial Government
20 February 2007
