FAQ

What is Canned Hunting?

Canned Hunting is the hunting of an animal that has been unfairly prevented from escaping the hunter, either due to physical or mental constraints (such as fencing or habituation to humans). Most hunting in South Africa is canned as defined here.

What does captive-bred mean?

It means turning wild animals, such as lions, into factory-farmed animals whose sole purpose is to be hunted. Female lions have their cubs removed because they will come into oestrus again and produce more cubs than they would naturally in the wild.

There are now more than 5,000 lions in brutal captivity and the number of victims increases daily.

What is the rent-a-cub business?

Cubs are rented out by the captive lion breeders to eco-tourism resorts to be petted by tourists, who are assured that such cubs will be set free. However, tourists should know that these cubs will not be returned to the wild: they will, instead, be returned to the breeders to be sold as semi-tame targets for the lucrative canned hunting industry.
Please read what really happens to these cubs.

Has canned hunting been legalised in South Africa?

Contrary to reports by politicians and the media, canned hunting has NOT been banned in South Africa. The new regulations actually legalise canned hunting.

What can you do?

Do not visit farms that offer cub-petting experiences as these cubs are factory-farmed animals that will be held in confined spaces until they are old enough to be hunted.

Support ethical tourism: do not support tourism facilities that support the breeding of predators in captivity; that offer cub-petting experiences; that hunt or have any affiliation to canned hunting establishments.

Also, your donation, be it large or small, will help us to continue our work. Please look under the funding section of this site or contact us on the details below.