Claws come out in bid to protect carnivores

THE Ministry of Environment has warned establishments that keep large carnivores in captivity that they will lose their permits and their animals if they violate permit conditions.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Malan Lindeque, said in a statement that the owners of such facilities could be prosecuted. Lindeque said his Ministry was concerned about reports of people being attacked by big cats held in captivity.He said the Ministry had made concerted efforts over the past few years to bring the situation under control and to enforce strict conditions for the keeping of wild animals.A Cabinet decision taken in 2000 on new conditions for the keeping of large carnivores such as lions, leopards, cheetah, spotted hyena, brown hyena and wild dogs, were communicated to the public through a media release in March of the same year.Subsequently, the Ministry started inspecting and registering all facilities holding such animals.It imposed strict conditions that not only address the welfare of the animals, but also prohibit direct contact between animals and humans.In addition, it prescribed overall standards for their management.”Nonetheless, it has become evident that there is a disregard by some farm owners and managers of the registration conditions, accompanied by a lack of concern of the potential danger that captive wild carnivores can pose to humans, regardless of how ‘tame’ they may seem,” said Lindeque.In terms of these conditions, the capture of large carnivores in the wild is not allowed, nor be kept in captivity, unless it formed part of a conservation practice by a registered rehabilitation centre approved by the Ministry.* Captive large carnivores may not come into contact with people for any purpose whatsoever, without permission from the Ministry.They must be vaccinated against rabies and their claws, teeth and vocal chords may not be surgically removed.Large carnivores may also not be kept as pets without prior approval from the Ministry of Environment and such approval will only be granted to registered Rehabilitation Centres.Lindeque said his Ministry was concerned about reports of people being attacked by big cats held in captivity.He said the Ministry had made concerted efforts over the past few years to bring the situation under control and to enforce strict conditions for the keeping of wild animals.A Cabinet decision taken in 2000 on new conditions for the keeping of large carnivores such as lions, leopards, cheetah, spotted hyena, brown hyena and wild dogs, were communicated to the public through a media release in March of the same year.Subsequently, the Ministry started inspecting and registering all facilities holding such animals.It imposed strict conditions that not only address the welfare of the animals, but also prohibit direct contact between animals and humans.In addition, it prescribed overall standards for their management.”Nonetheless, it has become evident that there is a disregard by some farm owners and managers of the registration conditions, accompanied by a lack of concern of the potential danger that captive wild carnivores can pose to humans, regardless of how ‘tame’ they may seem,” said Lindeque.In terms of these conditions, the capture of large carnivores in the wild is not allowed, nor be kept in captivity, unless it formed part of a conservation practice by a registered rehabilitation centre approved by the Ministry.* Captive large carnivores may not come into contact with people for any purpose whatsoever, without permission from the Ministry.They must be vaccinated against rabies and their claws, teeth and vocal chords may not be surgically removed.Large carnivores may also not be kept as pets without prior approval from the Ministry of Environment and such approval will only be granted to registered Rehabilitation Centres.