Why are we doing this program?
Colin’s Walk-with-lions program is an education and community-based program created to raise awareness of the plight of lions and to campaign for their survival.
It is a fact that the lion population word-wide is in steep decline. In many areas in Africa, lions have become extinct and their survival in the wild is classified as “critical”. At this point in time, the lion count in Africa, including those at breeding stations, stands at around 20 000, whereas in 1950 it was 400 000 and in the early 1990’s it stood at 100 000. This represents a decline of 30 to 50% in the last two decades.
The most important causes for the decline are the following:
- illness,
- shrinking of habitat, which often translates to human conflict
- isolated prides, which inbreed and then eventually die out.
(Take note that the decline is NOT due to trophy hunting of captive-bred lions!!)
The situation of free-roaming lions in South Africa is also alarming. The estimated count of 2 700 “free-roaming lions” occur in the Kruger National Park together with the surrounding game reserves. Even although there are smaller populations in other areas, they are not regarded as self-sustaining, as these populations have to be managed very carefully by adding lions or taking lions away from time to time essentially to prevent in-breeding. The lions in the Kruger National Park are also a cause for concern as they are largely infected with Tuberculosis. According to Dr. Dewald Keet the state veterinary surgeon for the Kruger Park, this disease is a major threat to the species, especially when one considers that a very large percentage of the population have also been tested to be FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus) positive. This results in a lowered immune response and increases the threat of the lions contracting Tuberculosis. According to this renowned veterinary surgeon, up to 78% of lions in the Southern areas of the Park are infected with this disease, but because the illness is spreading very slowly, people are under the misconception that the situation has been stabilized. The fact is that at least 25 lions die every year as a result of TB. The disease also has a profound effect on the social behaviour of the pride. Infected males within the pride are weakened, and this leads to a fast replacement of males within the pride. These new males kill all the babies from the previous male, and the numbers within the pride decline. With the vicious fighting that takes place blood–blood transmission of the FIV virus is significantly increased – in fact almost guaranteed. These two factors alone have a disastrous effect on the pride, as the entire pride can be wiped out in a very short time. Dr. Keet reckons that it may even be too late to save the existing “free-roaming” lions of the Kruger Park.
Against this background, one needs to encourage a new view upon the breeding of lions within South Africa to counter the emotional internet rantings of “armchair activists” from all over the globe. The uncontrolled internet protocols allow any uneducated, uninformed and often emotionally unstable “animal lover” to maliciously accuse legitimate scientifically based breeding programs of “canned hunting” – an unethical practice severely frowned upon by Horseback Africa. Outrageous, dishonest and libellous outpourings based on not a thread of evidence flood the internet, often hidden behind anonymous cover and temporary IP addresses. To compound the problem there are also a whole host of opportunists who have jumped on the “FUNDING” bandwagon. Respond to their posting and very soon (after receiving a tranche of gruesome images collected from all over the world over the last 20 years depicting lions that were hunted) you will be presented with the ever present “DONATE NOW” button. As they say - every day a sucker is born. Understandable though when presented with this cleaver technique.
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has classified the lion as being on the endangered species list, but in South Africa there has been a new revolution in the survival of this species. Hunting of free-roaming lions in South Africa has basically come to an end, except in specific private game reserves allocated for this purpose. As in the case of the rhinos, a new future has arisen in South Africa since the breeding of these animals in captivity. Today there are more lions within breeding facilities, than there are communally within any national or provincial game reserves together. There are approximately 7000 lions within around 260 captive breeding facilities in South Africa to date.
One of the greatest guarantees for the survival of lions in South Africa today is the conservation efforts of lion breeders who gain financially from this and therefore make sure that the species survives. There are around 200 individuals and associations who have permits to keep and breed lions on South Africa. Out of these 200 permits, there are only a small number of individuals who have permits to hunt lions. The other permit-holders, like ourselves, keep lions, rhinos and other endangered species purely for personal, aesthetic reasons and eco-tourism awareness programs.
Hand-reared cubs from Colin’s Walk-with-lions Awareness Program become crusaders for the species. Colin’s Walk-with-lions is also linked with other lion programs so that jointly we can make a difference to the survival of the king of the African bush. It is also very important that we concentrate on genetic diversity.
Colin’s walk-with-lions is continually evolving and taking on new challenges to improve the program.
1. What is the history of the founders of this program?
Founders Dr. Colin MacRae and his family launched the walking-with-lions program in 1998 on just 12.4 hectares of land 21 years ago.
2. Are you concerned about the growth of copy-cat operations?
Yes, we are concerned about the sudden flood in the market of “walking-with-lions”, although it should be considered that lion cub-petting and similar encounters with the young animals have been operating in other provinces before Horseback Africa started operations.
Although some of these organizations have been developed with conservation in mind, there are many who embark on it purely for commercial gain only and have no long term plan for the animals that come through their organizations. Such operations, indeed this includes Colin’s Horseback Africa, need to come under careful scrutiny from the relevant authorities to ensure all comply with appropriate legislation.
Colin’s Horseback Africa has done lion walking experiences for some 21 years now without any incident/accident. New operators who have no experience or skill could easily land themselves in trouble. Fortunately, common law protects the general public interest and legal claims against irresponsible operators will soon rectify the “get rich quick” and irresponsible operators.
3. Why do you remove cubs from their mother at three weeks old?
There are several reasons for this practice, the principal one being that in the natural setting on average only one lion out of every ten born reach their first birthday. When babies are removed from their mothers and hand-raised 90 percent can be saved.
Removing cubs from their mother does cause the mother to re-enter her oestrus cycle sooner than if the cubs are left with the mother. This natural phenomenon occurs in the wild when males take over a pride and kill all the offspring present. This stimulates the females to go into oestrus and then start producing cubs from the new male as soon as possible. Due to our ability to control the movement of the females and male we are able to provide the female with an adequate rest before she is allowed to mate again – a luxury the females in a wild pride do not have. When she comes back into season (oestrus) in the wild she has no choice – she gets mated. What the lay people do not know is that towards the final stage of a female’s lactating period in the wild she already comes into oestrus and gets mated. For a while is she not only feeding her young, but then has to provide resources for the developing fetuses. Our female have the luxury of a rest and recovery period.
4. Why do you have to walk-with-lions?
There are two main reasons:
- Colin’s is an awareness program. Our aim is to educate the general public and to facilitate the increased respect for lions and other animals as a whole. Our adult lions within the program become crusaders for the species, giving people the chance to learn about lions. This is done within a controlled program where people have the chance to touch and feel and to learn. It is alarming as to how many people know so little about conservation issues. Colin’s Walk-with-lions program is there to make people aware of our threatened animals on the planet.
- The second reason from walking with lions is that the lions within this program can be given the chance to experience the natural surroundings of the African Bush and go for a walk before they get fed. Lions are “condition response animals” and the walking experience teaches them not to lie under one tree and wait for the food to come to them (as happens in a zoo setting) but to rather to go walking as they have been raised to associate walking with the reward of receiving food. Lions, as with any other cat, are natural hunters - they do not need to be taught to catch a mouse! One reason for the limited success of previous predator release programs is that the animals were given no pre-release conditioning/training. By giving the lions a chance to spend time in the bush we also build their confidence, allowing them to mark out territories and give them the opportunity to practice and perfect their natural hunting ability. As a result of this practice we have seen the lions becoming adept hunters, without human assistance. One of the year-old lions recently released in Zambia has already taken down an adult impala.
5. Will captive breeding save Africa’s “king of the jungle”?
Definitely. It is now a well-known fact that large portions of the lion population all the way across the African continent are facing many more life threatening factors than they ever have in the past. It is also a well-documented fact that endangered species like the South American Condor would have been extinct were it not for various captive breeding programs around the world.
6. “Our evidence proves that captive breeding of large predators is an industry responsible for encouraging, supporting and enabling the abuse of wildlife,” What is your response to this?
This is a generalization that is offensive to awareness programs like ours that are concerned about the future and sincere well-being of large predators in Africa.
Only three provinces within South Africa allow hunting of lions; in the Eastern Cape there are three farms, in the Orange Free State there are three farms, and in the Northwest there are twelve farms. Because lions fall into the category of “endangered species”, the hunting of this species is strictly controlled. This occurs on farms where lions have been present for many years, are reproducing successfully and their numbers have to be controlled for sound habitat and environmental management reasons. As in any industry, there are farmers who flaunt legislation and ethical guidelines that are in place and illegally allow hunting of drugged lions in confined areas. Activists and journalist discover these charlatans and then portray the idea that this “canned hunting” automatically takes place wherever lion breeding occurs.
7. “Captive breeding provides prey for the canned hunting industry, and also for the local and international wildlife trade.” Comments?
Colin’s Horseback Africa strongly disapproves of any form of “canned hunting” and keenly disassociates itself from this highly unethical practice. This practice is decisively against the law in South Africa and if anybody has evidence of this happening, they should immediately report it to the relevant Nature Conservation authority.
8. What are your views on hunting?
Although we do not propagate hunting in general, Colin’s program does not slam ethical hunting. When animals are protected on a game reserve, they multiply and if left, will over-graze the available resources to the detriment of their, and other animal’s survival. There has to be scientific control of the numbers of animals on any game reserves. The removal of these animals is a proven sustainable method of providing funds for further conservation projects. This is termed “sustainable utilization”.
Both Colin and Theony enjoy a good steak in a restaurant. We are not vegetarians. Cows, sheep, pigs, and chickens are bred for the slaughter. Wild animals such as kudus, warthogs, lions and elephants are also raised in large game reserves to be hunted. As long as it is done ethically and sustainably, where the animal is treated fairly, then we do not see a problem with it.
9. Where are your lions released?
Our lions are made available free of charge (although there will be a cost-recovery fee) to approved conservation or eco-tourism wildlife parks, accredited animal facilities, game farms, and any other permitted establishments all over the African Continent. We require written commitment that the new owners are conservationists and that effective measures are in place to prevent poaching.
10. There is no conservation need to hand-rear and walk lions with tourists - other than to raise money to look after these animals - which, once you have finished exploiting for lion walking (before they are even 2 years old) are condemned to live out the rest of their lives in captivity (perhaps 12 years?). Comment please.
This could not be further from the truth for Colin’s Awareness program. Yes, the lions are hand raised and walked with tourists, to raise awareness of the situation that lions have been placed in by the interference of humans over the last century. Colin’s awareness program gains revenue from these tours so that our education and awareness program may stay in existence. Unfortunately there are very few people in this world who are able to change a bad situation to a good one without some kind of financial backing. Our lions do not spend their lives in captivity other than the small breeding group.
11. Which well-known organization will endorse your program?
South African Nature Conservation Authority and we would welcome contact with any other organization interested in supporting an operation which stands for promoting and preserving a truly magnificent animal.
12. Is this not just financial exploitation of lions?
No. This is an initiative to save an entire species from disappearing from our world. We are going about reaching our goal by providing a product, the funds from which can be used wisely to sustain wildlife. We are sharing our love for lions with others who are more than willing to pay for an enriching experience – learning more about these magnificent animals. We are creating a way to survive off of our passion and love for the African Lion. Some organizations find it more “profitable” to beg for donations from the general public. The general public is then not getting anything back in return for their donations – not even the truth about how their donations are being used! Often careful audits of these organizations reveal that 80% of every donated dollar gets absorbed in the fundraising effort itself and does not reach the designated assignment at all. Many of the internet “loudmouths” find it easier to criticize from the comfort of an easy chair behind their computer (cyber space) than actually getting involved in conservation efforts in the real world.
13. One cannot release captive-bred lions because they are tame, and then they will just walk up to people after their release and they will get shot. What is your comment on this?
Just to correct the misbelief – there are no “tame” lions – only ones that have temporarily accepted their human handlers as being superior to them in the social hierarchy. Once released in the wild, these lions would just as quickly test humans as a source of food.
14. “Walking with Lions” is a purely commercial enterprise. The purported conservation value of a captive breeding and release program for lions has not been demonstrated. Indeed, many aspects of the proposed program appear ill conceived. Comment.
Correction, in the case of Colin’s, Walking-with-Lions, this is a means to an end, that end being the awareness program shared with tourists and locals alike. If you would like to suggest a better way to raise awareness, you are more than welcome. These encounters that we offer to the public creates a fondness and passion for lions that could help turn the tide of the lions’ plight.
15. Hand rearing of lion cubs will ensure that these animals are imprinted to humans, and that they will thereafter lack natural avoidance behaviours. Is this not so?
Lions that are raised by Colin’s awareness program have nothing to fear from humans, even after their release because they are only released where there is no more physical contact between man and beast. We require guarantees that our lions will be safe from poachers.
16. Do you teach hand-reared cubs to hunt as sub-adults?
Yes and No, they are natural hunters, BUT if a lion has been in a small cage in a zoo for his whole life being fed without having to do anything, then there could be a problem upon release that this lion may not want to hunt (their natural instincts do not kick in). In our case, the walks stimulate the lions to use their natural instincts.
17. Being reared in captivity, are they not totally dependent on humans for food?
Not in the least. When released in parks where there is sufficient food, their hunting instincts very rapidly come to the fore. Have you ever seen the movie Madagascar?
18. So what is your comment on the movie “Blood Lions”?
This movie was sponsored by the same organizations that beg the public for money by using the word “donate” on every website. In other words, your hard-earned money was used to produce a movie which is for commercial gain. Do you know how much a Hollywood movie brings in? Millions of dollars!! Maybe we should talk about “Blood Donations”, instead of “Blood Lions”.
19. What happens to these cubs when they are too old to handle?
The lions are raised to between 18 months and two years old by Horseback Africa, at which point they are introduced into a pride of lions from different genetic blood lines, this newly formed pride is put through a “de-humanization training program”. After their training they are relocated into areas with a minimum land size which gives the lions the opportunity to hunt naturally.
20. Therefore to answer the question: Where do your lions go when they are too old to walk with?
Over the years, we have released lions both within the borders of South Africa as well as in other African countries. A couple of years ago, a group of 7 lions were released in Zambia successfully. Sometimes lions are swopped with other breeders so as to form new prides with a diverse genetic pool. If you live in the Pretoria, area, you are welcome to see our lions in the Rietvlei Game Reserve. Sadly these lions have now been poached for their head and paws! (October 2019). We also provided a mate for a lone male lion at the Pretoria zoo, who has since then also had a litter of her own. We are currently negotiating with the Malawian government for the next possible release. And so the project continues.
21. As your project does not have the support of any internationally recognized conservation organizations or academic institutions, how can it be a recognized conservation project?
Colin’s Walk-with-lions awareness program operates with the approval and endorsement of the South African Nature Conservation Authority, a South African Government Department responsible for all conservation projects in South Africa. This is a nationally and internationally recognized body.
Be proactive, be aware, be kind - to both human and animals.
