Durban - The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment says the country is home to many big cats and each provincial conservation authority should have legal requirements to manage the breeding, possession and transporting of these species where applicable.
This formed part of a response from the department following allegations carried on the Sunday Tribune this week, warning about the wild cat problem. Lobby groups like the EMS Foundation alleged that one does not require a license to keep an exotic pet in Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.
The group intensified its calls for government to regulate the keeping of Asian big cats, specifically tigers, in the country after a Johannesburg, William Mokoena, 39, was mauled by a privately owned tiger named Sheba that escaped earlier this month in Walkerville.
Sheba escaped from her holding area after fences were cut and attacked and killed a domestic farm animal and two dogs. She was then shot and killed by her owner since she had ventured to a densely populated compound.
Michelle Pickover, executive director of EMS Foundation said the incident highlighted an already sensitive issue.
“In Sout Africa you do not require a license to keep an exotic pet in Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces. The EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading (BAT) SA have been constantly warned government that it is only a matter of time before innocent humans are injured in the unregulated Asian big cat industry,” she said.
“SA is the biggest exporter of endangered tigers precisely because this industry is unregulated. Tigers from SA are exported to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Trinidad, Tobago, the US, China, Egypt, Pakistan, and Tanzania. A letter to CITES stated that SA’s management practices and control are totally inadequate, indicating that there are many individuals in SA that are breeding and keeping Asian big cats in their backyards in city suburbs.
“From as early as 2016, the EMS Foundation and BAT have repeatedly asked DFFE for details about the number of big cats currently in SA. DFFE has continuously stated that these big cats are exotics, and therefore not their responsibility,” claimed Pickover.
She added that in April 2021 she wrote a letter to DFFE Minister Barbara Creecy expressing their concern about the number of facilities and individuals keeping Asian big cats in the country, emphasising public safety and their concern about SA’s management practices.
In May 2021, Creecy announced the intention to close down the captive lion breeding industry, Asian big cats were not included in this plan which involves an appointed Ministerial Task Team.
Megan Carr, founder of Rhinos in Africa, said: “Facilities breeding Asian big cats will continue, even if such facilities are not closed down, perpetuating the same issues and SA will find itself no further forward in repairing the reputational damage that has been created by this industry.”
Dr Smaragda Louw, director of BAT said breeding tigers in captivity has no conservation value.
“It takes the focus off the conservation of tiger species in the wild. South Africans are so used to seeing hundreds of tigers everywhere – even in backyards – that the plight of tigers in the wild is no longer a reality for them. Why should it be, since there are so many available to bottle feed, pet, walk with and keep in a backyard,” Louw said.
Nozipho Hlabangana, spoksperson for the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment said legislation does make provision for a private person to keep certain wild species with a relevant permit, depending on the size of the property and the suitability of the habitat.
“Only registered zoos with suitable facilities are allowed to keep other wild species i.e. predators and primates for research and educational purposes,” she said.
Meanwhile, Albi Modise, DFFE’s chief director of communications, said it should be noted that nature conservation is a concurrent national and provincial legislative competence, and as such, provinces and national government are empowered and mandated to pass legislation on this aspect.
He refuted claims that the country is the biggest exporter of endangered tigers and that the industry is unregulated.
“The export of tigers is subject to a permit required in terms of NEMBA (National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act) and is done in compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulations, promulgated in terms of NEMBA. The MECs are the issuing authorities for CITES permits if tigers are exported by private persons or from privately-owned facilities.
“Tiger is included in Appendix I of CITES, which has the effect that tiger may not be traded internationally for primarily commercial purposes. In terms of the CITES regulations, persons who wish to trade internationally with tiger, and facilities that breed tigers in captivity for commercial international trade, must be registered with the issuing authority (Provincial authority responsible for conservation). Furthermore, if there is any suspicion of illegal exports of tigers, the public are urged to contact the environmental crime unit,” said Modise.
He added that the department is in the process of finalising the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity which provides policy direction in respect of animal well-being, humane activities, and duty of care.
“Once adopted, the White Paper will enable finalisation of the draft Policy Position on the Conservation and Ecologically Sustainable Use of elephant, lion, leopard, and rhinoceros, which seeks to address policy issues related to management, keeping, hunting, and breeding of these species through further public consultation process. The finalisation of policy position is pending adoption of the White Paper. Tiger is not included in the scope of the draft Policy Position as it is an alien species.
“The adoption of White Paper and the policy position, once completed, will trigger the necessary legislative amendments. The department engages provinces and other law enforcement agencies on an ongoing basis to explore possible solutions in respect of large exotic predators in SA.
“The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment appointed a Ministerial Task Team on December 7, 2022, to identify and recommend voluntary exit options and pathways for the captive lion industry. The recommendations made by this Task Team could have implications for captive tigers.
“EMS Foundation was informed about the regulatory framework in SA, and they were directed to contact the provincial authorities responsible for nature conservation with regards to management of tigers in each province. The High-Level Panel was appointed to review policies, legislation and practices relating to elephant, lion, leopard, and rhino specifically, and to make recommendations in this regard.
“The High-Level Panel’s report, together with its recommendations, was adopted by Cabinet and subsequently released to the public on May 2, 2021 by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment. The Minister has initiated implementation of some recommendations of the High Level Panel report in a phased manner,” he said.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE