Urge the South African Government To Finalise Conservation Policy To Re-wild Our Iconic Wildlife

Your urgent support is needed to urge South Africa to implement a New Deal for People and Wildlife without further delay.

Minister Creecy and her Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) are implementing a New Deal for South Africa's people and wildlife and your support is required to ensure vibrant, inclusive transformation of the wildlife sector, rural socio-economic development and the safeguarding of our iconic species.

The draft Policy Position on the conservation and ecologically sustainable use of elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros outlines among others, the following policy objectives:

  • To immediately halt the domestication and exploitation of lion, and the closure of captive lion facilities.
  • To reverse the domestication and intensification of management of rhino.
  • To prohibit ivory and rhino horn trade under current conditions.
  • To restrict ex situ (i.e., outside of their natural habitat) live export of the iconic species.
  • To promote an increased wildness, naturalness and wellbeing of fauna.
  • To adopt the One Welfare approach.
  • To embrace a transformative African approach to conservation and ecologically sustainable use, consistent with Ubuntu.

Together, these shifts in policy will signify a New Deal for people and wildlife, and position South Africa as a global leader and destination of choice for nature-based tourism, a key future driver of our economy and rural socio-economic development.

The Minister is unfortunately receiving significant opposition from a minority of industry players currently benefiting from exploitative and unethical industries which she is seeking to phase out and ultimately end. It is therefore imperative that we unequivocally support the Minister and DFFE in this transformational shift and encourage the urgent completion of the consultation process and finalisation of the draft Policy Position on the conservation and ecologically sustainable use of elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros.

The completion of this Policy Position document should be rapidly followed by the necessary process to formulate a draft White Paper on Biodiversity Conservation and Ecologically Sustainable Use in order to achieve this new vision and goals in the interest of South Africa, all of her people and its wildlife.

For this we need your help!

Blood Lions, Humane Society International - Africa, FOUR PAWS, World Animal Protection, and Born Free Foundation have come together to ask the public to urge the South African Government to follow through on its plans to further the protection of its iconic species.

First, we must prevent the powerful exploitative industry from derailing this plan. If we all join now, we will also empower key parliamentarians and officials with a massive boost of global public support, so they can resist the pressures, and strive to keep South Africa's iconic wildlife free from domestication, intensive management and exploitation.

Sign this petition to support our joint letter to the South African Minister and her Department.

Deadline: 13th October 2021

Read our joint letter addressed to Minister Creecy and DFFE HERE.

Background – Policy Position & White Paper
Following extensive High-Level Panel (HLP) investigations into five of South Africa's iconic wildlife species (elephant, leopard, lion, and white & black rhino), DFFE is currently consulting on a draft Policy Position on the conservation and ecologically sustainable use of elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros to enact the recommendations of the HLP. In addition, the Minister has announced that DFFE will be drafting a policy on Biodiversity Conservation and Ecologically Sustainable Use.

This pioneering White Paper on Biodiversity Conservation and Ecologically Sustainable Use will instigate a process to develop the most significant environmental legislation since the dawn of democracy in South Africa and will set precedent for conservation and development globally by incorporating the principles of One Welfare and wellbeing. This includes the key policy directions announced by the Minister, to ensure the reversal of intensive breeding and domestication of lion and rhino, and to initiate comprehensive transformation of the wildlife sector in order for it to become a people's economy.

The White Paper will build on the world's most advanced definition of ecological sustainable use, as contained within the draft Policy Position and based on the HLP's report. It will encapsulate an African approach to wild animals and nature, framed within Ubuntu, that highlights their welfare, wellbeing and sentience, and provides for people living in harmony with nature. This will resurrect the cultures and traditions, and sacred values of iconic wildlife and nature for African people.

Join us now as we strive to keep South Africa's iconic wildlife free from domestication, intensive management and exploitation.
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