Linda Park, Jo'burg director of CACH, writes:
Late night musings led me to the remembering of a study that was done some years back on the wild lion population in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) in KwaZulu-Natal where it was discovered that inbreeding depression increases susceptibility to bovine tuberculosis.

I wondered if, given that the same conditions of inbreeding and stress are prevalent with captive bred lions, there was a risk of possible infection to end users of lion bones or, indeed, the people who handle and prepare the carcasses.

I had a good discussion with Prof Nick Kriek of Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital. We discussed the research and my feelings that there could be a link in the captive bred population.

Signs of BTB usually do not exhibit before 2 to 3 years of age, by which time many of the lions would be out of the loop and into the lion bone market. I wondered if there was a correlation between the hygromas that are often seen in captive bred lions and BTB and he agreed that lions will develop lesions in the joints and bones when they have BTB.

He said that there was some research done in Kruger on tissue from BTB affected animals (possibly buffalo) and they found that left out in the sun the bacterium was dead after a period of 5 - 6 weeks.

Prof Kriek did say that immuno-compromised people handling the bones would be at greater risk.

The handling of the carcass after the kill is done by farm labourers and the preparing of the bones at the taxidermist would also be labour intensive. That labour force could very well be immuno-compromised.

At the end of 2014 there was a shipment of 92 lion carcasses that was impounded by the State Vet at ORT Airport. The lions were all young and had only been cleaned with ethanol so there was a lot of tissue still on the bones. The State Vet’s concern was a health one. I asked Prof Kriek about using ethanol and if that would kill the bacterium. He said that the crux of the matter would be the concentration used. If that was insufficient, the process would be ineffective.

Subsequent to this, Prof Paul van Helden from Stellenbosch University has issued a statement - see below - which confirms the risk to humans and states that South Africa may be exporting tuberculosis through the lion bone trade. In his statement he also talks about hygromas and cross-
contamination from handlers to lions.​


Opinion from Prof Paul Van Helden, Stellenbosch University
Tuberculosis (TB) in Lions
 South Africa May Be Exporting Tuberculosis Through the Trade in Lion Bones
Tuberculosis is a disease that has plagued mankind for millennia. In humans, it is most commonly found as a lung disease, although it can affect many other organs or body structures, including bones. For example, TB of the spine can cause deformity and is known as Potts disease.
Tuberculosis can occur not only in humans, but in many vertebrate species, including lions. Since TB may be common in various prey species of lions, these apex predators concentrate the disease in themselves by consuming preferentially affected prey. Thus it is not surprising that TB has been reported in lions in African countries, including South Africa.
Unlike humans, TB in lions may not occur primarily in the lung, but is frequently disseminated in the body. This includes being found in lion bones. It can sometimes be seen in live but infected lions, where large swellings can be seen on the limb joints (TB hygromas).  When bones  (not only limb bones) from such lions are examined, lesions identical in appearance to those seen in humans with bone TB can be seen.  It should  be noted that lions can be infected with TB by consuming prey with TB as stated before, as well as by exposure to humans with human TB, eg handlers or care givers.
Thus, it is clear that infected lions and lion bone have the potential to infect other animals or humans with TB.  It should be noted that the organism that most commonly causes lion TB is Mycobacterium bovis (which causes bovine TB). This differs very slightly from that species most often causing human TB.  Unfortunately, this organism has the propensity to cause TB in humans often in organs other than the lung, making it very difficult to diagnose.
Furthermore, it is inherently resistant to one of the four most important drugs (antibiotics) used to treat primary human TB. Treatment of humans with this form of TB is therefore compromised. This therefore poses a potential risk to humans which is arguably greater than the most common form of TB in humans. 
I am therefore of the opinion that uncontrolled exposure of humans to bones from animals, in particular lion bones, poses a risk for development of the form of TB known as bovine TB in particular, although not necessarily being limited to this form of TB only. 

Anyone who naively believes that the SA government will ban canned lion hunting should read this response by SA media release.  The full statement is quoted below, but the only meaningful sentence in all the self-congratulatory and misleading waffle, is this one:
"However, South Africa, cautions against assumptions that the adoption of this motion will result in the shutting down of facilities."

MEDIA STATEMENT 
SOUTH AFRICA’S POSITION ON A MOTION TO TERMINATE THE HUNTING OF CAPTIVE-BRED LIONS AND OTHER PREDATORS 
4 SEPTEMBER 2016 
South Africa has noted the motion moved by seven Non-Governmental Organisations calling for the termination of hunting of captive-bred lions (Panthera leo) and other predators and captive breeding for commercial, non-conservation purposes in South Africa. 
The motion was presented for/at the 2016 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC) currently under way in Hawaii, United States of America. The motion expresses the NGOs’ concern on the alleged escalation of the breeding of lions for the specific purpose of 'canned lion hunting' or 'canned lion shooting', by sectors of the wildlife industry in country.
 
While South Africa does not support some of the aspects in this motion, it will however consider the implications associated with the motion and engage the IUCN Director-General and the IUCN members on the requirements contained therein. The IUCN has always recognized the role that sustainable, legal hunting plays in conservation and supports human livelihoods in areas where other farming and land use options are less viable. 

Subsequent to the motion, initial discussions with the NGOs have been undertaken leading to a consensus on the need for continued cooperation in addressing non-compliance and research needs, as well as further strengthening regulatory framework. 

Speaking at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, Deputy Director-General responsible for biodiversity and conservation Mr Shonisani Munzhedzi said that “while hunting makes a substantial and positive contribution to conservation management and economic growth, we also have a responsibility to preserve the resource base and ensure that the industry has a sustainable future. However, hunting activities must be undertaken within the framework of the regulatory prescripts.”
 
South Africa is recognised worldwide for its conservation successes which includes the African lion, in addition has a proud record of collaborating with the global community to ensure natural resources form the global common good are properly conserved, sustainably utilized and that arising out of them are shared fairly and equitably. It is in this light that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently hailed South Africa’s advances in protecting the species such the African lion. 

”We would like to emphasise our commitment to the promotion of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use its biological resources, , noting further that responsible utilization of wildlife contributes to the enhancement of socio-economic development, rural livelihoods, and job creation in the sector,” added Mr. Munzhedzi. 

However, South Africa, cautions against assumptions that the adoption of this motion will result in the shutting down of facilities. As it is known, biodiversity contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Existing legislative tools and frameworks therefore regulate this sector including the aspects of captive keeping and hunting of lion in South Africa in a manner that ensures a balanced approach to its overriding developmental priorities and challenges. 
South African government remains committed to the sustainable use of the country’s biodiversity, and will continue to develop and implement an effective system for managing and monitoring trophy hunts in the country. 
For media queries, contact Albi Modise on 083 490 2871 
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

Update on the investigation into the mass slaughter of over 600 jackals in South African National Parks

To recap: Between 2010 and 2013 over 600 jackals were slaughtered in 3 South African National parks by SANPARKS for highly questionable ethical and scientific reasons. See blog post below.

SANPARKS and NMMU (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth) scientists A. Gaylard, G.  Kerley and L. Minnie then published a worthless paper with the Journal of Applied Ecology in London, in which they were untruthful on the massacres.

Concerns from other scientists with respect to the ethics and scientific justifications for the slaughter were shunted aside by the University until finally, one Professor Parker was called in to mediate. The Parker report found that:  

•        The authors from NMMU and SANPARKS were probably deliberately untruthful in non-disclosure of important information on the jackal massacres to the publishing Journal of Applied Ecology London.  In a nutshell they lied.
•          That the University authors did not have an ethics approval from the University ethics committee to participate in the investigation of the carcasses of the jackals at the time they were massacred   (2010-2013).

(This would be contrary to protocol in most Universities and a “highly unethical practice”, and perhaps explains why questions by other researchers on this issue had been side-stepped by the NMMU for no less than 5 years.)

It is a primary requirement for all wildlife research that an ethics approval certificate is in place before any research is undertaken. 

To date NMMU / SANPARKS authors still arrogantly refuse to provide proof of data relating to other highly questionable findings on these jackal massacres in what has become another side-stepping of accountability and truthfulness of these scientists at the expense of wildlife and the tax payer.