Wildlife activities has lashed to African governments over failing to put an end to practices such captive breeding, petting, trade in lion parts and poaching that are causing so much suffering to Africa’s lions and leading to serious population declines.
In an effort to raise the voices, World Animal Protection in collaboration with various stakeholders have today hosted a public art extravaganza at the Uganda Cultural Centre in Kampala to raise awareness on the existential crisis facing lions in Africa as they commemorate the World Lion Day which comes on every year 10th day of August.
Wildlife Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection Edith Kabesiime said that as the world comes together to celebrate World Lion Day, worry is that some African countries want to adopt what South Africa is currently struggling to do away with the Captive lion farming which fuels the illegal international trade in big cat bones that gradually infiltrating into Uganda, posing a grave threat to the nation’s lion population.
Kabesiime adds that this abuse of lions needs to be halted before it takes root because the creatives have spoken, and governments must listen and act to protect this iconic species.
She has disclosed that an African lion population is estimated to be around 20,000 in the wild. With lions now classified as vulnerable and in Uganda, lion populations in the country remain at risk , Queen Elizabeth National Park, a critical lion habitat, has witnessed a concerning loss of lion numbers over recent years.
She also calls upon public to mount pressure on their governments to stop enabling commercial exploitation of wildlife.
By Charles Katabalwa