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IOL News
4 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Organisation urges action against commercial lion exploitation ahead of World Lion Day
As South Africa gears up to commemorate World Lion Day on August 10, global animal welfare organisation Four Paws underscores the urgent need to put an end to the commercial exploitation of lions. The organisation has applauded Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment Dion George's commitment to phasing out the captive lion breeding industry, a move that could change the lives of thousands of big cats suffering behind bars. It is reported that currently, an estimated 8 000 lions are held captive in over 300 facilities across the country, making South Africa home to one of the world's largest commercial big cat industries. The use of lions for profit through practices such as cub petting and walking experiences grossly overshadows conservation efforts. Despite a promise made in 2021 to phase out the industry, implementation has been painfully slow, leaving many animals in distressing conditions. 'FOUR PAWS fully supports Minister George's commitment to shutting down the industry, but action cannot wait any longer,' stated Fiona Miles, Director of Four Paws South Africa. 'We are urgently awaiting the implementation plans of the Department and stand ready to support with our global expertise in sanctuaries, animal welfare, and the long-term care of rescued big cats.' The organisation also reveals that the horrors of this industry were recently spotlighted by several animal cruelty convictions revealing the disturbing realities faced by these captive lions. Miles added, 'South Africa has a responsibility to lead with integrity. Allowing commercial exploitation while claiming conservation sends a dangerous, contradictory message to the world.' To catalyse meaningful change, the organisation urges the South African government to take decisive action, which includes: Ban all commercial trade: End commercial breeding, keeping, and trade of big cats and their parts, with a complete phase-out of captive facilities by 2030. Prohibit private keeping: Implement strict rules against the private keeping of big cats and their use in circuses. Strengthen regulations: Establish a centralised database to monitor all captive big cats and their facilities. Close loopholes: Harmonise provincial regulations to eliminate inconsistencies that allow illegal trade to prosper. Global cooperation: Lead international discussions implementing CITES decisions for big cat protection. 'This cannot be a symbolic gesture. South Africa's reputation as a conservation leader is at stake. This World Lion Day must be a turning point. We owe it to every lion suffering in captivity to act now and not in another year or two.' Saturday Star
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Rand Merchant, South Africa parks mull conservation, rhino bonds
So-called conservation bonds are being seen as a new tool to raise money for the preservation of wild spaces and as a way of enhancing biodiversity. They are a subset of the US$6.5 trillion ($7.9t) use-of-proceeds bond market, which spans labels from green and social to blue bonds. Nature bonds, coined by the Nature Conservancy, have been used to finance debt swaps where proceeds from lower interest rates are allocated to environmental projects. Collectively, such bonds are expected to help close the US$200 billion ($243.1b) per year gap in funding to halt and reverse widespread global nature loss. The World Bank rhino bond, at the time the world's first wildlife bond, has been structured so that instead of paying a coupon, the issuer makes contributions towards conserving the animals and the buyers of the bond receive a payment from the Global Environment Facility based on preset targets for population growth. To receive the maximum payment the rhino population in the two parks would need to increase by more than 4% per annum. RMB, the Johannesburg-based investment-banking unit of FirstRand, last year said it was working on selling five-year bonds worth about US$233m ($283.2m) aimed at raising money for the conservation of wild dogs and lions in southern Africa. RMB was working on the wild dog bond with the Endangered Wildlife Trust and on the lion bond with the EWT and the Peace Parks Foundation. 'We are in conversations with numerous clients around opportunities in this space,' RMB said, declining to comment on talks with SANParks. FirstRand is Africa's biggest bank by market value. South Africa is home to about 80% of the world's rhinos, with most of those in the country being white rhinos, the world's most populous species. The animals have been subjected to sustained poaching for their horns, which are hacked off the dead animal's carcass and smuggled to Southeast Asia, where they are ground into powder and consumed as they are believed by some to boost virility and cure cancer. In 2010 the country had a rhino population of about 20,000 with more than 12,000 of those in the Kruger National Park, a reserve on South Africa's eastern border that's the size of Israel. Now, Environment Minister Dion George said on July 15, there are 14,389 rhinos in the country and less than 2000 in the Kruger. That reduction is because of both poaching and a drought in 2015 and 2016 that saw more rhinos than usual die and their reproduction rate slow.
IOL News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Balancing ambition and action in South Africa's climate adaptation efforts
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George. Image: Dion George/Facebook On Friday, the 27th June, I intently followed the 2025/26 budget vote speech by Minister Dion George of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), hoping to hear a decisive shift in how South Africa intends to confront its growing climate crisis, more critically, through climate adaptation to the irreversible impacts already upon us. The speech presented a vision of environmental stewardship, economic inclusion, and climate resilience. While the speech outlined commendable priorities such as biodiversity conservation, green job creation, and regulatory reforms, it sadly fell short in explicitly prioritising and funding climate adaptation measures with the urgency South Africa's vulnerabilities demand. While the DFFE's commitments to mitigation and biodiversity are laudable, adaptation remains underfunded and overshadowed, a critical gap in a country where climate impacts are already destabilising livelihoods. Just weeks ago, devastating floods ripped through parts of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, tragically claiming a reported 102 lives at last count and displacing countless families some who had built informal homes on floodplains and below flood lines. These are not isolated incidents as floods are firmly becoming the biggest and most frequent climate threat to South Africa. These events are flashing red warning lights, signalingthat adaptation must be elevated to a national priority with the budget to match. Great: A Progressive Environmental Agenda In his speech, the Minister rightly emphasised several key priorities including the enforcement of the Climate Change Act, the revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and Sectoral Emission Targets that demonstrate a structured approach to reducing carbon footprints. The Highveld Air Quality Management Plan is also a necessary step toward holding polluters accountable. Regarding Biodiversity as an Economic Driver, the KISS (Kruger, Kirstenbosch, iSimangaliso) strategy and Biodiversity Economy Strategy, which aims to create 397 000 jobs and inject R127 billion annually by 2036 is a visionary linkage of conservation and economic growth. He also adds the FILLER (Fair Industry for Lions, Leopards, and Rhinos) and Fishing for Freedom, which highlights ethical wildlife management and support for small-scale fishers, crucial for both ecological and social justice. Relating to regulatory and Financial Innovation, the RESET (Regulatory Efficiency Strategy) promises streamlined environmental governance, while the push for carboncredit monetisation could unlock new funding avenues. These initiatives reflect a department attempting to balance ecological protection with developmental needs. However, the speech's silence on concrete adaptation financing undermines its otherwise progressive stance. Not so Great: Where Adaptation was Sidelined The Minister acknowledged budget constraints, a real-term decrease of 1.4% in allocation, yet insisted the DFFE would "do more with less'. However, while cost-saving measures are prudent, adaptation cannot thrive on austerity, it must be prioritised. What is clear is that there is no dedicated adaptation budget line. For instance, the speech mentioned a Climate Change Adaptation Response Plan for coastal regions, but without specific allocations or timelines. There also appears to be an over-reliance on international finance which we should do less of given the current geo-political uncertainties. The Green Climate Fund's $40 million (R717m) for South African National Biodiversity Institute is welcome, but domestic funding for localised adaptation remains Minister praised South African Weather Service for 1 400 severe weather alerts, yet many vulnerable communities still lack actionable response plans. The speech missed an opportunity to allocate funds for local disaster preparedness (e.g., community training, evacuation routes) and the opportunities to integrate traditional knowledge with scientific early-warning systems. The elephant in the room and the unavoidable question then is: If climate change is "here and now" as the Minister says, why is adaptation not a standalone budget priority? If the DFFE is committed to matching its rhetoric with tangible adaptation progress, it must consider elevating adaptation action to a priority stand-alone action, dedicating funding for adaptation, and providing it with the requisite institutional support for success in future budgets. It's too elusive and the light mention gives cool comfort. As a country, we are already paying the price of climate inaction in lives lost, livelihoods destroyed, and un-budgeted resources diverted to emergency response. Adaptation investments are cost-effective and lifesaving, especially when planned and made proactively. Every rand spent on resilient infrastructure saves many more in post-disaster reconstruction. Minister George's speech outlined a bold environmental agenda, particularly inmitigation and biodiversity. However, the lack of detailed, funded adaptation measures risks leaving South Africa's most vulnerable populations exposed to escalating climate shocks. The DFFE must recognize that to achieve a truly resilient South Africa, it requires ambition, budget, and urgency for adaptation in equal measure. This is so worrying that often when I think about adaptation and resilience action it makes me feel like we're playing a game of 'masicashelane' (hide & seek), only now the count is 10 000. Minister let's bring it back to an achievable count to a 10 please... so we can find this missing priority sooner. The Presidential Climate Commission has consistently emphasised through its work on the just transition, adaptation is not only a technical imperative but a moral one, which is central to safeguarding livelihoods, foodsystems, and public infrastructure in the face of escalating climate threats. Initiatives like the Just Adaptation and Resilience Investment Plan demonstrate that a just, inclusive,and locally grounded adaptation pathway is possible. What's needed now is political will and budget. Morwesi Ramonyai Thonga is a Senior Advisor to the Presidential Climate Commission on Adaptation Finance. Image: Supplied Morwesi Ramonyai Thonga is a Senior Advisor to the Presidential Climate Commission on Adaptation Finance. *** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL. BUSINESS REPORT
IOL News
16-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
South Africa launches ambitious campaign to save its dwindling rhino population
The Rhino Renaissance Campaign launch is one of South Africa's G20 Legacy Projects. It aims to rebuild the white rhino population in Kruger National Park (KNP) from just over 2,000 to 12,000 within the next decade. Image: File South Africa is the custodian of more than 80% of the continent's white rhino population, which is at risk from poaching and a dwindling population. Dr Dion George, MP and minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), remarked on Tuesday at the Rhino Renaissance Campaign launch. The campaign, one of South Africa's G20 Legacy Projects, aims to rebuild the white rhino population in the Kruger National Park (KNP) from just over 2,000 to 12,000 within the next decade. Annual statistics revealed that 195 rhinos had been poached across South Africa by June 2025, a reduction of 35 compared to the same period in 2024. In KNP, 11 rhinos were killed in both May and June, down from 17 in January and 30 in February 2025. Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ 'Once nearly extinct, the white rhino population stood at fewer than 100 individuals in the early 20th century. But South Africa acted. Through protected areas, community partnerships, and the hard work of rangers and conservationists, the species was brought back from the brink. By 2010, there were more than 20,000 white rhinos,' George said. The KNP is home to over 12,000 rhinos — an unmatched feat in global conservation. But since then, the tide has turned. 'As of 2024, the population has dropped to 14,389 nationwide. In Kruger, just over 2,000 remain. A significant part of the issue involves poaching and the trafficking of rhino horn, driven by organised crime and profit,' George warned. He said that the campaign led by the South African National Parks (SANParks) is a direct response to poaching and illegal rhino horn trade. 'It brings together SANParks' conservation authority with the Tracker Academy, part of the Peace Parks Foundation, whose work in training local trackers in ancestral skills is redefining what it means to protect wildlife,' George said. He also mentioned the Good Work Foundation, a non-profit transforming education for thousands of learners in the villages around Kruger through digital learning, conservation coding, and storytelling. He said that 90 rhino monitors will be trained and deployed annually across KNP. 'The Rhino Renaissance Campaign is a vital part of this effort. It supports our vision of a Fair Industry for Lions, Leopards, Elephants, and Rhinos — a future where these species are not only protected but thrive alongside the people who live among them,' George said. Other plans include: African Parks has relocated 2,000 rhinos to safe havens across the country. Munyawana Conservancy and others are growing populations through rewilding. Cross-border work is under way in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and across the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area. Safe havens have been identified in Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Botswana. Collaboration between the government and private wildlife owners in our Integrated Wildlife Zones has been enhanced. Pam Yako, SANParks Board chairperson, said rhinos are a species of global significance, and the campaign was a partnership with various stakeholders. 'We want to showcase our efforts and how best we can, with the help of everyone else, build a whole movement for the conservation of the species,' she said.
The South African
16-07-2025
- Business
- The South African
Captive lion breeding in South Africa to be BANNED
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has taken steps toward ending captive lion breeding in South Africa, marking a major shift in the country's approach to wildlife conservation and animal welfare. Minister Dr Dion George confirmed on Tuesday that the department is finalising the Prohibition Notice that will officially ban the establishment of new commercial captive lion breeding facilities across the country. 'This marks a turning point in our approach to wildlife conservation,' said George. 'We are committed to enforcing clear, effective, and legally robust measures that protect South Africa's natural heritage.' The new policy forms part of strengthened regulations under the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (NEM:BA), 2004 and is guided by the Ministerial Task Team Report and the Policy Position on the sustainable use of elephants, lions, leopards, and rhinoceroses. The Prohibition Notice aligns with international conservation norms and public demands to end the unethical breeding and exploitation of lions for profit – particularly in canned hunting and the bone trade. Following its tabling in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on 10 June 2025, the mandatory 30-day consideration period has now elapsed, clearing the way for official promulgation by the Executive Authority. The department is now engaging with provincial Members of the Executive Council (MECs) under Section 87A (3) of NEM:BA to coordinate implementation and enforcement at local levels. Further updates are expected during stakeholder engagements, including the upcoming G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group meeting taking place in the Kruger National Park. The ban also forms part of broader efforts to overhaul the Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) Regulations, with a sharper focus on animal well-being, biodiversity protection, and practical enforcement. 'We are building a regulatory foundation that prioritises animal well-being. The department remains fully committed to finalising and implementing these reforms without delay,' George stated. The move is being seen as a clear message to the global conservation community: South Africa is working to phase out unethical wildlife exploitation and reposition itself as a leader in sustainable, ethical biodiversity management. The final Prohibition Notice is expected to be gazetted in the coming weeks. Once enforced, it will prevent the opening of any new captive lion breeding facilities, although existing operations may still fall under separate review and transitional frameworks. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
