Safari Club International just released a statement announcing its official policy regarding captive-bred lions.
Outfitters offering hunts for captive-bred lions just received more bad news. Earlier this month, Safari Club International officially declared their opposition to the hunting of African lions bred in captivity.
Below is SCI's official statement:
Considering the practice of the captive breeding of lions for the purpose of hunting has doubtful value to the conservation of lions in the wild, and considering that such hunting is not consistent with SCI's criteria for estate hunting, the SCI Board has adopted the following policy:
- SCI opposes the hunting of African lions bred in captivity.
- This policy takes effect Feb. 4, 2018 and applies to hunts taking place after adoption of this policy and to any Record Book entry related to such hunts.
- SCI will not accept advertising from any operator for any such hunts, nor will SCI allow operators to sell hunts for lions bred in captivity at the SCI Annual Hunters' Convention.
The bottom line is hunters who shoot a captive-bred lion can no longer enter the animal in the SCI Record Book. And, outfitters can no longer advertise hunts for captive-bred lions with SCI or sell them at the SCI Annual Convention.
This announcement from SCI comes on the heels of announcements by other conservation organizations opposing the practice of hunting lions bred in captivity, like the Boone & Crockett Club and the Dallas Safari Club.
Additionally, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service doesn't currently issue import permits for any lions bred in captivity. So, while the practice of shooting captive-bred lions is still legal in South Africa, American hunters can't legally bring back any part of a lion they shoot on one of those hunts.
To be clear, the policies outlined by SCI and other conservation organizations only apply to captive-bred lions. All of these organizations still support the well-regulated hunting of sustainable wild lion populations. And, the USFWS will issue import permits for wild lions hunted in certain countries.
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