Disturbing Report on CBS 60 Minutes
Tonight CBS 60 Minutes had a segment on Keven Richardson, the so called "Lion Whisperer." It showed him interacting with lions that had been raised in captivity at a "rescue" preserve where "wealthy tourists" were allowed to pet and otherwise interact with juvenile lions. Based on what he subsequently learned, he left their employment, raised enough funds to purchase all 26 cats that the "rescue" preserve had at that time, and relocated them to his own closed reserve.
The videos of his encounters were incredible- the lions acted like huge domestic cats when they greeted and played with him. A few years ago similar videos of his encounters went viral on YouTube.
Unfortunately, as Richardson and another expert pointed out at the end of the piece, many (most?) of these private "rescue" preserves which are located in South Africa and surrounding countries, breed and raise lions cubs so they can sell grown lions to private "hunting" preserves for canned hunts. These reserves release the lions in small areas where hunters who have paid hundreds to thousands of dollars for the privilege, shoot and kill one (the report had a very disturbing video of one such canned killing of a lion.)
I hope Tauck continues to include lion encounters in their tours, but on the other hand I hope they carefully vette the reserve providing the encounter to make sure it is not involved in selling cats for canned hunts.
The videos of his encounters were incredible- the lions acted like huge domestic cats when they greeted and played with him. A few years ago similar videos of his encounters went viral on YouTube.
Unfortunately, as Richardson and another expert pointed out at the end of the piece, many (most?) of these private "rescue" preserves which are located in South Africa and surrounding countries, breed and raise lions cubs so they can sell grown lions to private "hunting" preserves for canned hunts. These reserves release the lions in small areas where hunters who have paid hundreds to thousands of dollars for the privilege, shoot and kill one (the report had a very disturbing video of one such canned killing of a lion.)
I hope Tauck continues to include lion encounters in their tours, but on the other hand I hope they carefully vette the reserve providing the encounter to make sure it is not involved in selling cats for canned hunts.
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I saw the same CBS report and had the same reaction.
However, nothing I see listed in the itinerary for our upcoming (January) Kenya and Tanzania Classic Safari mentions anything about lion encounters except in the context of wildlife viewing. I had no expectation nor desire for a chance to pet a lion.
Reminds me of a trip to Australia many years ago when at a Koala preserve, our daughter was allowed to hold a Koala. Very carefully managed because, unknown to us until that moment, Koalas are really nasty little beasts who spend most of their time sleeping (to work off the toxic effects of eucalyptus leaves) and really, really don't like to be held or awakened!
Again, please don't get me wrong- I see nothing wrong with a controlled environment where humans can interact with juvenile lions, that for any number of valid reasons, are being raised in captivity. I would love to do that, but I just don't want to do it if their ultimate fate is to be shot in a canned hunt.
The Tauck SA/Botswana trip is the one where you can interact with lions. I watched the 60 minutes last night. Very interesting. One of the ways I learned about trading animals was by watching the BBC drama 'Wild at Heart' set in South Africa. For me a heartwarming serial starring one of my favorite actors and in later series both Juliet and Haley Mills. Set on a private game reserve, my 'actor' is the Vetnarian and owner. They had to trade animals with other reserves to get the mix right in the private reserves. Plots included illegal trading of some animals. It also made me realize how different the SA safaris are compared with K and T. In the private SA reserves the drivers know exactly how many lions or other animals they have because their area is fenced. It's just a matter of finding them. Not fencing in K and T and although many animals are territorial it's a much more natural environment.
Find 'Wild at Heart' on Netflix.
There was a documentary I watched on BBC America about animals bred for hunting, made by a guy called something like last name Therioux. Will try to look it up.
I am a LONG, LONG way from being a PETA member and have no issues with real hunting, but using animals for target practice is not what I call hunting. I hope the animals that are walked with on the Tauck tours are not put in this situation. I am sure we'll hear from someone in the organization about it, since it has become a topic in this room. If they have never asked what happens to the cubs when they get older from their "vendors," I am sure it is being asked now.
If you are going on the Kenya and Tanzania tour, you will not walk with the lions....at least not on purpose, I assume. If you do, you will find out, first hand, what the food chain is all about and where your link is on that chain. I don't know about the other tours. I have read and seen pictures on this website about walking with lions but I can't give out any accurate information on that experience. I am sure we'll get some feedback.
We have our airline tickets (ET), but still need our last two shots (last HEP B and Polio booster), need to buy a few more clothing and misc. items (a gooseneck for the end of my walking stick for the GoPro), and of course still need to make final payment.