Landmark judgment ‘a victory for SA lions’
Animal welfare organisations and conservation communities are celebrating what they say is a victory for South Africa's lions.
A landmark judgment in the high court in Pretoria on Tuesday declared government's 2017 and 2018 quotas for lion bone exports as unlawful and unconstitutional.
In the ruling, judge Jody Kollapen lambasted the Department of Environmental Affairs for not following due processes.
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The Four Paws animal welfare organisation - which has joined other organisations in welcoming the ruling - says the captive breeding of lions has been allowed to go on for far too long.
The organisation's director Fiona Miles says Minister of Environmental Affairs Barbara Creecy needs to put a stop to this industry immediately.
"We call on the Department of Environmental Affairs to consult with animal welfare organisations so that we can find solutions together to put the welfares of these animals first."