We've all heard about the horrors of zoos and what once was a practice that we seemed oblivious to and didn't think to question, is now almost common knowledge as those thoughts of the welfare and care of those imprisoned animals creeps into our minds. Highly upsetting…
lion
Lion cub prison
Whilst browsing a retail store today I got chatting to the store manager about my adventures in Africa during the past few years. Upon saying that I had been working at a Lion Protection Trust in South Africa, her immediate response was "awwww so you got to play with all the little lions and tigers?!"…
Great news for lion conservation
It has been announced that the USA has banned the imports of lion trophies that have come from captive lion populations. Following the Cites results earlier this month, which refused to uplist lions to maximum protection, failing to stop the canned hunting industry, this new decision will mean that American hunters - who make up…
Noble responsibility
"When the (Kruger) Park was proclaimed by President Paul Kruger, attitudes toward wild animals were still based on a literal interpretation of the biblical injunction that God has given Man dominion over the birds of the air and the fishes of the sea. By the time the pioneers bowed out the world was coming to…
Lions extinct by 2030?
Today's Cites decision brought disappointing news for lions as the call to up-list them to Appendix 1 was not agreed upon. The outcome of the discussions by Cites - the Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species who decides upon the listings of each animal and plant, and therefore its level of protection worldwide…
The ethical lion volunteer
So what is wildlife conservation and how can we know if our money is going to the right place? With social media being at the forefront of most people's focus these days, it almost seems as if people are doing things with the sole initial intention of being able to upload the proof onto their social media…
Don’t pet a baby lion
http://www.igobyplane.com/2015/06/19/where-can-i-pet-a-baby-lion-tiger-cheetah-big-cat/ I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you that reading this article got my blood boiling to the highest degrees - so much so that I had to take a walk outside before angrily bashing the keys to write this post. Aside from the fact that this guy is illiterate, he is absolutely the…
Make your change…
I've lost count of the amount of times that friends have sent me photos of people that I know involved in the terrible wildlife tourism trade that is in the media so much these days, and how many times that I have wanted to write ranting long comments on those social media photos, asking them…
What wildlife are worth
Earlier this week I sat with my family to watch Davina McCall's new wildlife documentary 'Life at the Extreme'. Whilst the premiere received mixed reviews about Davina's capability of presenting a wildlife documentary, I thought it was good to see an 'ordinary' person immersing themselves in the wilds of Africa. Near the end of the…
EXCLUSIVE: American TV hosts Blood Lions
Prominent American television network MSNBC is set to premiere previously mentioned canned hunting exposé Blood Lions on the 7th of October. Blood Lions follows the journey of environmental journalist, Ian Michler, and American hunter, Rick Swazey, as they expose the multi-million dollar canned hunting industry. Despite the worldwide outrage following the death of Cecil the lion, I was…
Africa, Two Years On
I cannot believe that it was exactly two years ago today that I first went to South Africa. It was two years ago today that I ventured out by myself, and travelled across the globe having no idea what to expect, and knowing there would not be a single person that I knew within 12,000km.…
10 things you need to know about Cecil the Lion
I doubt there is a single person reading this post that hasn’t heard about the unlawful killing of Cecil the lion. As we await the outcome of the trial of the hunters, here are 10 things that you should know about the majestic king. Cecil was 13 years old and Zimbabwe’s most famous lion –…
Continue reading ➞ 10 things you need to know about Cecil the Lion
The truth behind my lion selfie
As I apprehensively shuffled into the caged box, my gut clenched and my heart stopped…I immediately knew that I was in a bad place, and I desperately wanted to run straight back out and find comfort in my friends hiding out in the car. But something stronger told me to carry on, something told me…