Protect lions by ending the global wildlife trade

The fate of thousands of lions bred for their body parts in South Africa is truly horrific.

 

These iconic wild animals are forced to endure a lifetime of suffering in confinement. Typically, lion cubs are:

 

• Stolen from their mothers within days of birth
• Forced to live in tiny, cramped cages
• Very often inbred, starved and diseased

 

All until it’s time for them to be killed for their bones, which are shipped abroad for use in traditional medicine in Asia.

 

Sadly, this isn’t the only way lions are being exploited for profit. They are also bred for tourist interactions such as petting and “walk-with” experiences, and for canned hunting. They live lives of complete misery in unnatural conditions, until they cruelly meet their end. In 2019, there were nearly 8,000 lions in captivity in South Africa

 

Lions aren’t the only big cats facing this kind of abuse. Tigers are also being bred and killed for their parts and jaguars are poached from the wild for similar reasons. The only way to ensure their protection is to end the global wildlife trade now.

 

Love wildlife. End the wildlife trade.

 

Lions, other big cats, and millions of wild animals like them are victims of the global wildlife trade, which treats them as commodities rather than sentient beings.

 

Every day, thousands of wild animals are poached, farmed or sold into the global multi-billion dollar trade – for food, pets, traditional medicine and entertainment.

 

Horrific conditions cause unimaginable suffering for every single animal involved. They also create a hotbed of zoonotic disease, leading to outbreaks like SARS and now COVID-19.

 

Right now, the lion bone trade is temporarily on hold because of legal reasons and COVID-19. With your help, we can keep it that way and spare any more lions this terrible fate.

As a G20 member, India has a strong voice at the summit. We are asking Prime Minister of India, who will represent the country at the summit, to support the call to end wildlife trade forever.

By signing this petition, you too are asking the Prime Minister of India to raise his voice in support to end wildlife trade forever at the G20 summit. You are also asking the Government of India to effectively enforce existing wildlife protection laws and stop the trade of wild animals and wild animal products.