PAL is outraged at the South African Government’s new proposal to increase the list of animals, regulated under the Meat Safety Act (2000), to be allowed for human consumption.

Here is a submission to the government outlining the horrific consequences of this decision, and urging them to not allow this atrocity to become a reality. If allowed, some of the updated legislation will include:

• The farming for human consumption of threatened and endangered animals including lions, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and giraffe.
• Promoting the consumption of wildlife, thus creating a dangerous situation with an increased risk of disease transmission – as evident by the COVID-19 global pandemic that reveals the risk of consuming wildlife meat.

People involved in the slaughter of wildlife are also at risk of contracting fatal diseases.

• Enabling the export of lion parts and bones for the Asian medicinal and cosmetic market, placing the species under even greater threat. This will lead to further commodification of wildlife in Africa.
• Easing procedures to allow canned lion hunting and lion-cub petting, regardless of the cruelty involved.