@youthforlions.bsky.social
SA has ~8,000 lions in captivity ⛓️🦁 but they’re not the only victims. The commercial predator industry also breeds, keeps & trades tigers, leopards and smaller wild cats like servals and caracals. We need laws that protect all predators - now.
December 15, 2025 at 10:27 AM
SA has ~8,000 lions in captivity ⛓️🦁 but they’re not the only victims. The commercial predator industry also breeds, keeps & trades tigers, leopards and smaller wild cats like servals and caracals. We need laws that protect all predators - now.
Modern science shows that animals are sentient & capable of experiencing a range of positive & negative feelings, so what does this mean for those kept in captivity for profit? Bottle feeding & cub petting might seem innocent on the surface but severely affect cubs’ physical & mental well-being.
December 12, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Modern science shows that animals are sentient & capable of experiencing a range of positive & negative feelings, so what does this mean for those kept in captivity for profit? Bottle feeding & cub petting might seem innocent on the surface but severely affect cubs’ physical & mental well-being.
Animal welfare scientist, D. Mellor, describes sentience as animals’ capacity to perceive & experience their worlds subjectively, which has implications for how we treat them. We must think critically how raising animals for profit impacts their quality of life 👉https://tinyurl.com/2s49fm9f
December 10, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Animal welfare scientist, D. Mellor, describes sentience as animals’ capacity to perceive & experience their worlds subjectively, which has implications for how we treat them. We must think critically how raising animals for profit impacts their quality of life 👉https://tinyurl.com/2s49fm9f
Do animals feel too? Science shows that animals are sentient & feel a range of subjective experiences, just like us. Predator cubs born in captivity for entertainment experience significant distress. Not only is their welfare compromised, but their overall well-being & quality of life suffers too.
December 8, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Do animals feel too? Science shows that animals are sentient & feel a range of subjective experiences, just like us. Predator cubs born in captivity for entertainment experience significant distress. Not only is their welfare compromised, but their overall well-being & quality of life suffers too.
Despite SA’s 2021 commitment to end this exploitative industry, thousands of lions still suffer in captivity.
❌ With every visit to a predator park
❌ With every selfie taken
❌ With every hands-on interaction
YOU PLAY — THEY PAY.
Minister Aucamp, please continue the phase-out.
❌ With every visit to a predator park
❌ With every selfie taken
❌ With every hands-on interaction
YOU PLAY — THEY PAY.
Minister Aucamp, please continue the phase-out.
December 5, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Despite SA’s 2021 commitment to end this exploitative industry, thousands of lions still suffer in captivity.
❌ With every visit to a predator park
❌ With every selfie taken
❌ With every hands-on interaction
YOU PLAY — THEY PAY.
Minister Aucamp, please continue the phase-out.
❌ With every visit to a predator park
❌ With every selfie taken
❌ With every hands-on interaction
YOU PLAY — THEY PAY.
Minister Aucamp, please continue the phase-out.
Predator parks promise up close views of big cats, but is this ethical? In South Africa many parks call themselves sanctuaries but operate as commercial businesses, with almost 400 facilities holding around 8,000 lions, 600 tigers & 1000s of other predators 👉https://tinyurl.com/4t6xy4yf
December 3, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Predator parks promise up close views of big cats, but is this ethical? In South Africa many parks call themselves sanctuaries but operate as commercial businesses, with almost 400 facilities holding around 8,000 lions, 600 tigers & 1000s of other predators 👉https://tinyurl.com/4t6xy4yf
NSPCA is calling for transparency after Willem Aucamp replaced Dion George as Environment Minister. They want proof he has no undisclosed links to captive wildlife or hunting. The DA refused to explain the appointment, so the NSPCA will file a PAIA request. More: tinyurl.com/ymdntezx
NSPCA demands transparency as DA declines request on Willie Aucamp appointment
Tensions rise as the Democratic Alliance refuses to explain Willie Aucamp's appointment as Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, prompting the NSPCA to seek formal clarification.
tinyurl.com
December 1, 2025 at 7:11 PM
NSPCA is calling for transparency after Willem Aucamp replaced Dion George as Environment Minister. They want proof he has no undisclosed links to captive wildlife or hunting. The DA refused to explain the appointment, so the NSPCA will file a PAIA request. More: tinyurl.com/ymdntezx
Our ambassador, Marco, recently experienced lions in the Maasai Mara: “The opportunity to witness this wildness made it clear that keeping animals in captivity cruelly prevents them from living the way they ought to be. I was amazed by the delicate balance that nature maintains.” Images: Marco Ma
November 28, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Our ambassador, Marco, recently experienced lions in the Maasai Mara: “The opportunity to witness this wildness made it clear that keeping animals in captivity cruelly prevents them from living the way they ought to be. I was amazed by the delicate balance that nature maintains.” Images: Marco Ma
#KeepItWild this holiday season! We have compiled a guide of activities across South Africa’s provinces so you have no excuses but to enjoy our amazing natural and cultural heritage! 🌿🇿🇦🐾 Download our guide here 👉 tinyurl.com/r87ywfn9
November 26, 2025 at 3:11 PM
#KeepItWild this holiday season! We have compiled a guide of activities across South Africa’s provinces so you have no excuses but to enjoy our amazing natural and cultural heritage! 🌿🇿🇦🐾 Download our guide here 👉 tinyurl.com/r87ywfn9
People often say that predator parks are fun & educational, but whose interests are really served - the visitors or the animals? There is no evidence that predator parks have a lasting impact on visitors behaviour, BUT we know animal welfare is highly compromised. More: tinyurl.com/yc5txpkt
November 24, 2025 at 3:55 PM
People often say that predator parks are fun & educational, but whose interests are really served - the visitors or the animals? There is no evidence that predator parks have a lasting impact on visitors behaviour, BUT we know animal welfare is highly compromised. More: tinyurl.com/yc5txpkt
Is a predator park unethical?
3️⃣LIVING CONDITIONS
🚩Animals pacing or immobile
🚩They bite, paw or cry at fence
🚩Scarce shelter/space to retreat
🚩No enrichment
🚩Livestock carcasses as food
🚩Signs of mange, injury, visible ribs, or obesity
🚩Small enclosures
Use Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
3️⃣LIVING CONDITIONS
🚩Animals pacing or immobile
🚩They bite, paw or cry at fence
🚩Scarce shelter/space to retreat
🚩No enrichment
🚩Livestock carcasses as food
🚩Signs of mange, injury, visible ribs, or obesity
🚩Small enclosures
Use Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
November 21, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Is a predator park unethical?
3️⃣LIVING CONDITIONS
🚩Animals pacing or immobile
🚩They bite, paw or cry at fence
🚩Scarce shelter/space to retreat
🚩No enrichment
🚩Livestock carcasses as food
🚩Signs of mange, injury, visible ribs, or obesity
🚩Small enclosures
Use Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
3️⃣LIVING CONDITIONS
🚩Animals pacing or immobile
🚩They bite, paw or cry at fence
🚩Scarce shelter/space to retreat
🚩No enrichment
🚩Livestock carcasses as food
🚩Signs of mange, injury, visible ribs, or obesity
🚩Small enclosures
Use Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
How to tell if a predator park is unethical?
2️⃣TRADING
🚩Animals come & go, meaning they buy, sell or exchange animals with other facilities
🚩Stories of the animal’s rescue are vague or proof cannot be provided
You can see if a park should be avoided using Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
2️⃣TRADING
🚩Animals come & go, meaning they buy, sell or exchange animals with other facilities
🚩Stories of the animal’s rescue are vague or proof cannot be provided
You can see if a park should be avoided using Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
November 19, 2025 at 2:42 PM
How to tell if a predator park is unethical?
2️⃣TRADING
🚩Animals come & go, meaning they buy, sell or exchange animals with other facilities
🚩Stories of the animal’s rescue are vague or proof cannot be provided
You can see if a park should be avoided using Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
2️⃣TRADING
🚩Animals come & go, meaning they buy, sell or exchange animals with other facilities
🚩Stories of the animal’s rescue are vague or proof cannot be provided
You can see if a park should be avoided using Wild Choices: www.wildchoices.org
How can you tell if a predator park is unethical?
1️⃣CUBS & BREEDING
🚩They have cubs & breed their lions, tigers, & other cats
🚩Cubs are separated from their mothers
🚩They allow visitors to feed, cuddle & play with the cubs
Search facilities to support or avoid: www.wildchoices.org
1️⃣CUBS & BREEDING
🚩They have cubs & breed their lions, tigers, & other cats
🚩Cubs are separated from their mothers
🚩They allow visitors to feed, cuddle & play with the cubs
Search facilities to support or avoid: www.wildchoices.org
November 17, 2025 at 4:54 PM
How can you tell if a predator park is unethical?
1️⃣CUBS & BREEDING
🚩They have cubs & breed their lions, tigers, & other cats
🚩Cubs are separated from their mothers
🚩They allow visitors to feed, cuddle & play with the cubs
Search facilities to support or avoid: www.wildchoices.org
1️⃣CUBS & BREEDING
🚩They have cubs & breed their lions, tigers, & other cats
🚩Cubs are separated from their mothers
🚩They allow visitors to feed, cuddle & play with the cubs
Search facilities to support or avoid: www.wildchoices.org
🆘 WE NEED YOUR HELP 🆘 DA leader John Steenhuisen has asked Pres. Ramaphosa to remove Minister Dion George — a key ally in ending SA’s captive lion industry. His proposed replacement, Willie Aucamp, has deep ties to commercial captive wildlife industry. Take action now & write to President and DA!
November 12, 2025 at 1:12 PM
🆘 WE NEED YOUR HELP 🆘 DA leader John Steenhuisen has asked Pres. Ramaphosa to remove Minister Dion George — a key ally in ending SA’s captive lion industry. His proposed replacement, Willie Aucamp, has deep ties to commercial captive wildlife industry. Take action now & write to President and DA!
📢 BREAKING NEWS 📢 NSPCA has raised urgent concerns with President Ramaphosa over proposed Cabinet change at DFFE. The NSPCA warns this shift could harm animal welfare and risk South Africa’s global reputation amid ongoing concerns about the captive lion industry and its links to illicit trade.
NSPCA Escalates Concerns to President Over DFFE Cabinet Shift Affecting Animal Welfare
The NSPCA has, this morning, written to the President of the Republic, as well as the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for the DFFE, to request urgent consultation regarding reports of a proposed rep...
nspca.co.za
November 11, 2025 at 5:03 PM
📢 BREAKING NEWS 📢 NSPCA has raised urgent concerns with President Ramaphosa over proposed Cabinet change at DFFE. The NSPCA warns this shift could harm animal welfare and risk South Africa’s global reputation amid ongoing concerns about the captive lion industry and its links to illicit trade.
DA leader Steenhuisen asked Pres. Ramaphosa to remove Minister George & replace him with Aucamp - move that could hand environment portfolio to someone aligned with the wildlife breeding & hunting industry and will reverse progress to close SA’s captive lion industry 👉 tinyurl.com/rmc4rxk2
Steenhuisen’s lion bone gambit: Firing the one minister who finally took on the wildlife trade
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen’s move suggests that, when forced to choose, the DA leadership is more worried about hunters and wildlife ranchers than about lions in cages and a country’s integ...
tinyurl.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:11 PM
DA leader Steenhuisen asked Pres. Ramaphosa to remove Minister George & replace him with Aucamp - move that could hand environment portfolio to someone aligned with the wildlife breeding & hunting industry and will reverse progress to close SA’s captive lion industry 👉 tinyurl.com/rmc4rxk2
Playing with cubs, walking with lions or taking predator selfies fuels a cruel industry ⛓️🦁⛓️ — not conservation. ‼️ Cubs aren’t orphaned. ‼️ They’re bred for profit. Say no to captivity and help end their suffering. Be the change. #TheyFeelToo #CancelCaptivity #KillingThemSoftly
November 7, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Playing with cubs, walking with lions or taking predator selfies fuels a cruel industry ⛓️🦁⛓️ — not conservation. ‼️ Cubs aren’t orphaned. ‼️ They’re bred for profit. Say no to captivity and help end their suffering. Be the change. #TheyFeelToo #CancelCaptivity #KillingThemSoftly
We are excited to announce our next guest on Youth For Lions’ Careers in Conservation Instagram Live! Tayla McCurdy will be joining us on Monday at 3pm SAST to chat about her career as a photographic guide, wildlife presenter, & spreading impactful messages.
November 5, 2025 at 4:32 PM
We are excited to announce our next guest on Youth For Lions’ Careers in Conservation Instagram Live! Tayla McCurdy will be joining us on Monday at 3pm SAST to chat about her career as a photographic guide, wildlife presenter, & spreading impactful messages.
📢 YOU’RE KILLING THEM SOFTLY 📢
Paying to pet, walk or watch captive lions fuels cruelty for profit ❌🦁 Their lives are short, their suffering real. You’re not helping them — you’re killing them softly.
🟢 Say no to captivity.
🟢 Say no to exploitation.
#TheyFeelToo #CancelCaptivity
Paying to pet, walk or watch captive lions fuels cruelty for profit ❌🦁 Their lives are short, their suffering real. You’re not helping them — you’re killing them softly.
🟢 Say no to captivity.
🟢 Say no to exploitation.
#TheyFeelToo #CancelCaptivity
November 3, 2025 at 4:54 PM
📢 YOU’RE KILLING THEM SOFTLY 📢
Paying to pet, walk or watch captive lions fuels cruelty for profit ❌🦁 Their lives are short, their suffering real. You’re not helping them — you’re killing them softly.
🟢 Say no to captivity.
🟢 Say no to exploitation.
#TheyFeelToo #CancelCaptivity
Paying to pet, walk or watch captive lions fuels cruelty for profit ❌🦁 Their lives are short, their suffering real. You’re not helping them — you’re killing them softly.
🟢 Say no to captivity.
🟢 Say no to exploitation.
#TheyFeelToo #CancelCaptivity
Can breeding lions help wild lions? There are many lion breeders who claim commercial industry benefits lion conservation, but where’s the evidence? Our research shows there’s NO evidence to support the idea that breeding helps wild lions, it highlights that it can cause more harm- bit.ly/3X4s7Rz
October 31, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Can breeding lions help wild lions? There are many lion breeders who claim commercial industry benefits lion conservation, but where’s the evidence? Our research shows there’s NO evidence to support the idea that breeding helps wild lions, it highlights that it can cause more harm- bit.ly/3X4s7Rz
How can we implement the closure of the captive lion industry? We encourage @Minister Dr Dion George to take the first vital steps by:
🔴implementing a moratorium on breeding more captive lions
🔴extending protection to other exotic & indigenous predators
It’s time to #CancelCaptivity
🔴implementing a moratorium on breeding more captive lions
🔴extending protection to other exotic & indigenous predators
It’s time to #CancelCaptivity
October 29, 2025 at 9:39 AM
How can we implement the closure of the captive lion industry? We encourage @Minister Dr Dion George to take the first vital steps by:
🔴implementing a moratorium on breeding more captive lions
🔴extending protection to other exotic & indigenous predators
It’s time to #CancelCaptivity
🔴implementing a moratorium on breeding more captive lions
🔴extending protection to other exotic & indigenous predators
It’s time to #CancelCaptivity
Art has long been used to advocate for change & inspire action. Our coordinator, Steph Klarmann, is presenting workshops to art students to learn all about using ART FOR ADVOCACY. If you’re an art teacher or student, contact us youth@bloodlions.org to organise a workshop at your school!
October 27, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Art has long been used to advocate for change & inspire action. Our coordinator, Steph Klarmann, is presenting workshops to art students to learn all about using ART FOR ADVOCACY. If you’re an art teacher or student, contact us youth@bloodlions.org to organise a workshop at your school!
Thousands of Africa’s indigenous cats & exotic predators are bred in South Africa for commercial purposes. Like captive lions, they are not bred for conservation, but purely for profit. Throughout their life, they face similar welfare issues in captive tourism, live trade, or trade in body parts
October 24, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Thousands of Africa’s indigenous cats & exotic predators are bred in South Africa for commercial purposes. Like captive lions, they are not bred for conservation, but purely for profit. Throughout their life, they face similar welfare issues in captive tourism, live trade, or trade in body parts
Taylor Wagemaker had fun with the Grade 1-2 eco-club at Steyn City School with a reading of The Tail of Three Lions & got creative with some lion art. Thank you to Steyn City School for hosting Taylor to raise awareness amongst our youth! Email us youth@bloodlions.org to have YFL visit your school
October 22, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Taylor Wagemaker had fun with the Grade 1-2 eco-club at Steyn City School with a reading of The Tail of Three Lions & got creative with some lion art. Thank you to Steyn City School for hosting Taylor to raise awareness amongst our youth! Email us youth@bloodlions.org to have YFL visit your school
Predator parks keep rare big cats like dark maned & white lions, black leopards, white tigers & ligers to attract visitors & trophy hunters wanting a rare & expensive trophy. Such rarities are achieved through small founder populations, causing inbreeding & welfare issues. tinyurl.com/7426xs8a
October 17, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Predator parks keep rare big cats like dark maned & white lions, black leopards, white tigers & ligers to attract visitors & trophy hunters wanting a rare & expensive trophy. Such rarities are achieved through small founder populations, causing inbreeding & welfare issues. tinyurl.com/7426xs8a