South Africa to End Captive Breeding of Lions | 08 Apr 2024

Source: DTE

Why in News?

Recently, South Africa has decided to end captive breeding of lions (Panthera leo) due to concerns over trophy hunting and the use of lion bones in traditional Chinese medicine marks a significant shift in wildlife conservation.

What are the Key Traits of Lions?

• Subspecies: There are two subspecies of lions found in the wild. The African lion (Panthera leo leo) and the Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica).
  • African lions used to be spread across most of the African continent, but now are only found in sub-Saharan Africa, with 80% in eastern or southern Africa.
    • Asiatic Lions are found at Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat, India.
  • Although both subspecies of lions look very similar, there are some differences.
    • Male Asiatic lions tend to have darker, shorter manes compared to African Lions.
    • Additionally, both male and female Asiatic lions are smaller than African lions.

• Habitat: They are most active at night and live in a variety of habitats but prefer grassland, savanna, dense scrub, and open woodland.
• Social Structure: Lions are the most social big cat, living in groups called prides.
  • A pride typically consists of several related females, their cubs, and a few adult males (coalition).
  • Lionesses are the primary hunters, while dominant males are responsible for protecting the pride's territory.
• Hunting and Diet: Lions are apex predators and primarily hunt large ungulates like wildebeest, zebra, and antelope.
  • They typically hunt cooperatively, using their agility and teamwork to take down prey.
  • Also, lions are opportunistic feeders and will not hesitate to scavenge when the opportunity arises, often stealing kills from other predators.
• Threats:
  • They face a multitude of threats from habitat loss and fragmentation to climate change and the reduction of available prey.
  • They are also targeted by trophy hunters.
    • Trophy hunting is a form of hunting where the primary goal is to kill animals for their body parts, such as horns, tusks, or skins, which are then kept as trophies or souvenirs (and not primarily as food).
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule I