Report Reveals Thousands Of Lions Are Being Bred So That Mega-Rich Hunters Can Kill Them For Trophies

If there’s one thing I absolutely won’t tolerate it’s animal cruelty. Especially hunting, using the life of an animal for sport is beyond wrong and makes me so freakin’ angry!

The most recent culprit (‘cos let’s face it, this stuff is hardly rare at this point!) is a so-called “farm” in South Africa. The farm breeds lions to be killed as trophy prizes for rich hunters, who presumably have more cash than soul at this point and subsequently feel the need to destroy the life of an innocent creature. But anyway…

The report that discovered this horrific farm also found that lions were being sold to buyers in the far East, who use them for ‘medicines’.

The Daily Mail reported that the report is a result of a year-long investigation by Lord Ashcroft. The recently released study revealed that hunters will pay up to £42,000 (approx. $55,000) to kill a lion. Seriously. People starve in this world while others can burn cash trying to murder a beautiful animal.

The study went on to reveal that in just two days the “farm” had killed and “ground down” fifty lions for “medicine”. I’m sorry, but what kind of medicine requires lion bones? Not one I want to take, that’s for sure!

Not only were these poor creatures fated to a horrible death but they were also treated terribly in life. The report details the unacceptable conditions in the “farm”, where the lions would wait for their death.

According to sources the report includes heartbreaking footage of the lions being shot at by tourists with tranquilizer darts in an illegal hunt. It’s absolutely disgraceful that such things happen in this day and age.

(Image Credit: Instagram, kellymortonhunting)

Clearly, this kind of thing happens all over the world…

Lord Ashcroft had this to say about his study:

“My year-long probe lifts the lid on barbaric and illegal practices at the heart of South Africa’s deeply shameful lion trade.

“The investigation shows how up to 12,000 lions bred in captivity are destined either to be shot by wealthy hunters – in what is often a pathetic charade of a hunt – or killed in squalid abattoirs so their bones can be exported to the Far East.

(Image Credit: Instagram, tim_downs_)

The Politician in charge of the report continued, criticizing the UK’s enabling of these farms;

“Britain’s complicity in lion farming is also laid bare by my undercover investigators, which includes ex-Special Forces soldiers, who have exposed how hunters and middlemen from this country are involved in the despicable trade.”

At least some light is being shed on this barbaric practice and money being invested to try and expose those behind these farms.

 (Image Credit: Instagram, tyler_bowling_hunting) 

The lack of images coming from these farms suggests the barbarity inside. The images in this article have come from other hunting sites and though they’re not involved with the farms in South Africa it’s still heartbreaking to see.

Many of the hunters in South Africa paying extortionate prices for a lion trophy are thought to be unaware that the Lions have been bred solely to be hunted.

Though even if they knew it seems highly unlikely that they would care the animal’s life had been nothing but suffering… then again, maybe it would help to bruise their disgustingly inflated egos? To learn that they’re not brave hunters, they’re just picking off innocent animals who were never truly wild but manufactured for their sport.

Let’s hope that this report is the beginning of serious change for these beautiful animals.

Let me know in the comments how this news affected you. I’m sure we can all agree that this kind of thing has got to stop! AAx

(Cover Image Credit: Instagram briankay165  and GIPHY)

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