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sábado, 29 de septiembre de 2012

VIETNAM: LIVE PIG CHOPPED IN A BRUTAL FESTIVAL AT NEM THUONG VILLAGE

Source: Images of Pets


                         BRUTAL FESTIVAL IN VIETNAM


This is one Vietnamese festival that makes even non animal lovers cringe. 

Every year, at a village near Hanoi, a pig is brutally chopped into two so that people can smear banknotes with its blood in the belief that it would bring luck. 
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
Farmer Nguyen Hung Truc waves battle flags as he portrays Doan Thuong, an anti-royal military general who lived in 13th century, during a festival at the Nem Thuong village in Bac Ninh, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Hanoi, January 28, 2012.

Organized by the villagers, the festival is held on the sixth day of the first month of the lunar calendar to worship the village's deity Doan Thuong.

Every year, thousands of people from the village and nearby villages will gather to smear the blood of the pig on their banknotes in the belief that it would bring luck in the new year. The festival is known as the most brutal in the country and is condemned by many, including some who called on the government to stop the festival.

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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
Villagers play traditional music as they take part in a festival at the Nem Thuong village in Bac Ninh, about 40 km (25 miles) north of Hanoi, January 28, 2012. 
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
A pig is carried around the village during the festival...
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
  
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
A participant hacks the pig with a sword...
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS
Villagers smear blood on banknotes...
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Photo By KHAM/REUTERS



Protest-letter
to the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 


To whom it may concern 

I wish to express my deep concern about animal cruelty being conducted in the name of tradition in Vietnam.

On 28th of January 2012 - like every year - citizens at Nem Thuong village have celebrated their cruel festival during which a pig is brutally chopped into two. Every year, thousands of people from the village and nearby villages gather to smear the blood of the pig on their banknotes in the belief that it would bring luck in the new year. The festival is known as the most brutal in your country and is condemned by many, including some who called already on your government to stop the festival.

No one can adequately explain why these practices are carried out year after year – except to say they are "traditional". This however is not a valid argument to continue these practices.

I urge the Government of Vietnam to abolish the above practice for the following reasons:

1.  It hurts the animals – contrary to what many believe, animals suffer tremendously before and during such festivals.

2.  It hurts us - cruelty against animals harms society as a whole; it signals and normalizes insensitivity in children who can become numb to the suffering of living beings. It is also known to influence certain people to commit violence to other humans.

3.  It is bad for tourism - as tourists are abhorred by such practices, the festival will have an adverse effect on tourism, an industry which provides the country with much-needed financial returns. Those foreigners who experience or come to know of this practice leave Vietnam confused and with a heavy heart, rather than uplifted by its paradoxical beauty and friendliness.

I implore you to end these violent practice and help Vietnam move towards a truly peaceful country in keeping with its international image.

I trust that you will support these measures (which are becoming more widespread around the world) and thus promote non-violent cultural practices in Vietnam. Until such a time, however, I regret that it will be necessary to boycott Vietnam both as a tourist and by way of commerce and to encourage others to participate in a boycott as well.

Yours sincerely,


.....................................................................
please sign with your name and address



INSTRUCTIONS:
Please copy and paste the above text (or chose you own words) and send it to the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam using their contact form on their website:
http://www.vietnam.gov.vn/portal/page/portal/English/contact 
You can also send an email to the embassy of Vietnam in your country, or to your country's embassy in Vietnam. Email addresses can easily be found using the following online portal:
http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/Vietnam/vietnam.htm 

  The Petition

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Please SIGN our ONLINE PETITION to be delivered to the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnamhttp://www.gopetition.com/petitions/ban-the-brutal-festival-at-nem-thuong-village-vietnam.html

Thank you very mu
ch for your signature and for speaking out against this brutal tradition.

viernes, 28 de septiembre de 2012

HUMAN CARNIVORES: COOKING MEATS IS RISKY FOR YOUR HEALTH


Chef cooking meat. Source: International Business Times.


Source: NCBI

AIRBORNE MUTAGENS PRODUCED BY FRYING BEEF, PORK AND A SOY-BASED FOOD

Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.


Volume 33, Issue 10, October 1995, Pages 821–828
Abstract

Airborne cooking by-products from frying beef (hamburgers), pork (bacon strips) and soybean-based food (tempeh burgers) were collected, extracted, tested for mutagenicity and chemically analysed. The fumes generated by frying pork and beef were mutagenic, with 4900 and 1300 revertants/g of food cooked, respectively. No mutagenicity was detected in fumes from frying tempeh burgers.

Bacon fried to a well-done but non-charred state was eight times more mutagenic in a microsuspension Ames/Salmonella test (TA98 with S-9) than hamburgers and about 350 times more mutagenic than tempeh burgers.


Among food samples cooked to a well-done, non-charred state, bacon strips had almost 15-fold more mass (109.5 ng/g) than that of the beef, whereas no heterocyclic amine (HCA) was detected in the fried tempeh burgers. 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) was the most abundant HCA, followed by 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) and 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx).

No 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (A alpha C) was detected in the food samples fried at about 200 degrees C, although it was present in the collected airborne products. The total amounts of HCAs in the smoke condensates were 3 ng/g from fried bacon, 0.37 ng/g from fried beef and 0.177 ng/g from fried soy-based food.

This study indicates that cooks are potentially exposed to relatively high levels of airborne mutagens and carcinogens and that long-term sampling inside restaurants and kitchens may be warranted in order to assess the potential risk of prolonged exposure.

Link:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7590526

NB. Abstract (modified for easier reading)
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Read more:

2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine 

2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline 

2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (also found in fish meats)


martes, 25 de septiembre de 2012

REPORTAJE DE ALIMENTOS TRANSGENICOS CENSURADO EN CHILE

Gundhramns Hammer
25 de septiembre de 2012


                      
El hombre árbol. Fuente: El Rastreador de Noticias.


Las compañías de biotecnología están empeñadas a reestructurar el genoma de cuanto organismo caiga en sus manos. Se supone que los organismos modificados genéticamente beneficiarán a toda la humanidad en general y la prensa pagada por intereses económicos nos venden esa utopía.

Pero lo que pocas veces los medios de comunicación nos cuentan es los efectos negativos sobre la salud y el medio ambiente. No nos dicen claramente que en definitiva las plantas transgénicas (ej., maíz Bt) son organismos resistentes a herbicidas (Roundup Ready), los cuales son nocivos para los humanos y demás seres vivos. 

En otras palabras, la producción de los alimentos transgénicos requiere el uso intensivo de productos agroquímicos, incluyendo herbicidas. Cuando consumimos maíz transgénico, por ejemplo, también comemos herbicidas. Así de claro. 

Las plantas transgénicas más ampliamente cultivadas son algodón (Gossypium spp.), la soja (Glycine max), el arroz (Oryza sativa), el maíz (Zea mays) y la canola (Brassica napus).

El siguiente reportaje nos informa sobre los alimentos transgénicos y las implicaciones de su consumo en la salud humana y su efecto en el medio ambiente:






Disclaimer: the posting of stories, commentaries, reports, documents and links (embedded or otherwise) on this site does not in any way, shape or form, implied or otherwise, necessarily express or suggest endorsement or support of any of such posted material or parts therein.


viernes, 21 de septiembre de 2012

STARLINGS (STURNUS VULGARIS): GREAT AIR ACROBATS, MELODIOUS SINGERS AND VERY IMPORTANT TO FARMERS

By Hugo M. G. von Österreich und von Toskana
Member of the Union of Concerned Scientists (USA)
September 21, 2012


We have countless of miracles right in front of our own faces wherever we care to look at on this beautiful planet. All we have to do is open out hearts and pay more attention to our surroundings. And behold them!! 

One of these miracles is the aeronautical display of thousands of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) flying up and down like a single entity and yet separate before they settle for the night on Ot Moor in England (Video 1).



                                                       Video 1. Starlings on Ot Moor.



Thoughout the year and especially during Spring starlings gladen our souls with their melodious tunes (Video 2).


                                                           Video 2. Starling singing.


The Ecological Services of Starlings

Starlings are considered pests but this kind of thinking is totally wrong. New research is proving that these birds are very beneficial to farmers as excellent biological control agents. They are insectivores (Fig 1).



Figure 1. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) with load of insects. Source: RSPB.


More than 57% of the annual food of adult starlings is composed of animal matter including insects, spiders, snails and other invertebrates picked up in the fields in the United States (Kalmach, 1928). 

In other parts of the world the intake of animal matter is much higher. For instance in New Zealand starlings consume up to 90% animal foods while only 10% consists of cereal and weed seeds. The study revealed the insect orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera to be most important (Coleman, 1972,1977).

Fruit farmers see starlings as a nuissance. Nevertheless fruits such as cherries form 2.66% of the starlings annual diet, but this consumption is restricted to June and July when it forms 15-17%, as pointed out by some researchers in the United States. 

The value of the insect-feeding habits of starlings outweigh by far their fruit-feeding habits. In some areas of the United States farmers have discovered this fact and are now attracting starlings to their properties by placing nesting boxes in trees and fence poles. This way these birds can control the insects in the plantations.

The ecological services of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) as biological control agents are very important and what is more they are free of charge to us! 

Read more...

Starlings are disappearing in Europe

Starlings are in trouble throughout the European Union including the UK. They are declining at an alarming rate. It is estimated that 40 million starlings have disappeared from this continent since 1980. 

In the UK, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has launched an important research project to find out the reasons behind the starlings decline. You can help by contacting the RSPB here.

Environmental pollution is most likely the culprit of their population crash. Whatever is affecting them in the end will affect us as well.


Let us show Starlings love and respect!




References

Coleman J.D. (1972). The Feeding Ecology, Productivity and Management of Starlings in Canterbury, New Zealand. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. 121 p.

Coleman J.D. (1977). The Foods and Feeding of Starlings in Canterbury. Proc. New Zealand Ecol. Soc., 24: 94-109.

Kalmach E. R. (1928). The European Starling in the United States. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farmer´s Bull. Nº 1571: 1-27.

jueves, 20 de septiembre de 2012

SIN MAQUILLAR: EL MUNDO SUCIO DE LOS COSMETICOS



Fuente: YouTube
15/VIII/2012


Justo que esta semana se retiraban 11 cremas y lociones cosméticas de los supermercados Mercadona. por sus posiblemente nocivos componentes, OtraTVesPosible desvela, en pleno mes de agosto, cuando las TV´s de España se van de vacaciones, lo que realmente se esconde detrás de tantos y tantos cosméticos que nos untamos en piel, ojos, pelos, etc... Revelador, y muy preocupante. 


Que pena que el usuario español no tenga derecho a saber nada de esto, desde su televisor. Unicamente y ocultando la grave verdad, sin ir al fondo, sin explicarle el por qué exacto, que "11 productos cosméticos han sido retirados de Mercadona"...


Alemán/Español

Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwbo0jkwPDQ&list=UUPh58_1IWrglAFxKlfAOgSQ&index=2&feature=plcp

martes, 18 de septiembre de 2012

THE GREAT LAKES CONSPIRACY: BLUE GOLD, GREEDY BILLIONAIRES AND POWER TO CHINA

Water is so valuable that is known as Blue Gold. It is so precious that only 2% of the world´s supply is drinkable. We cannot live without it. Fresh water has become a strategic resource, so much so that in the near future wars will be fought over it.

Jesse Ventura and his team expose the conspiracy: Greedy billionaires rushing to control the drinkable water to sell it back to us more expensive than gasoline, the world oligarchs are buying the water rights to control nations and populations, and sneaky corporations are draining the Great Lakes dry.  The end game is to increase the power of China.

Let us see what Jesse Ventura has uncovered:






Disclaimer: The information on this site is for educational and entertainment purposes only. There is no intent, express or implied, to promote illegal activities. We assume no liability for the potential actions of any third party. All data compiled here has been gathered from, and is available through, independent public sources.

BRITISH PETROLEUM GULF OIL SPILL: JESSE VENTURA UNCOVERS A CONSPIRACY

The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has been one of the worst man-made disasters with global implications. Some people are searching for the truth behind the BP oil spill and have come up with the following questions: Was it sabotage? Could it have been prevented? Was it a part of a government plan against people?

Jesse Ventura and his team uncover a shocking story that spreads far beyond the oil. They discovered a government and big business conspiracy. Here is what they found:


                                        




Disclaimer: The information on this site is for educational and entertainment purposes only. There is no intent, express or implied, to promote illegal activities. We assume no liability for the potential actions of any third party. All data compiled here has been gathered from, and is available through, independent public sources.

lunes, 17 de septiembre de 2012

CHINA: BRUTAL "PIG BEAUTY" COMPETITION IN GUANGDONG

Source: NEWSGD.COM



Well-decorated pigs are laid in rows to compete for this year's "big pig competition", a folk tradition, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, in Shantou, Guangdong province. The pig with the heaviest weight and most beautiful decorations will be declared the winner. After that, the meat will be shared among relatives and friends. The tradition, dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was originally held by villagers who sacrificed their pigs to pray for good luck and dispel epidemics. (Xinhua Photo)

Villagers from Shantou, southern China's Guangdong province, flock to the annual "big pig" competition, which is usually held in the first month of the lunar New Year, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

An elderly villager from Shantou, Guangdong province, explains the local "big pig competition, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

Well-decorated pigs are laid in rows to compete for this year's "big pig competition", a folk tradition, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, in Shantou, Guangdong province. (Xinhua Photo)

Original source:

miércoles, 12 de septiembre de 2012

AFRICA WITHOUT LIONS WON´T BE AFRICA: SAVE THE AFRICAN LIONS! STOP POISONING AFRICAN LIONS!


Source: treehugger



Text source: YouTube

No big cat faces 1/500th of the possiblity of extinction as the lion. That's right, your glasses aren't dirty. Since 1994, Lions populations are down in African more than 2,000 percent. Estimates lower then 4,000. Lion weights of mature males are now 300 lbs in many places, few lions turned man eaters. Being shot and killed by trophy hunters, poisoned to death by the thousands, loss of prey, starving to death, lack of resources or numbers to get foodIt's bad enough 80 % lions starve to death before 2 years old. An what's so sad about this situation. Lions existence is not looking good at all. An what's so sad is even the lionfanatics on youtube Schamah, JiaLifeh, Cookiecacheisfatt, don't understand how much in trouble in the lion is in. It's so sad, the whole world hasn't lifted a damn figure. There gonna wait until there are 1,000 lions left in all africa? And is the United States gonna come together and start Project Lion, like they did with Tigers? I don't know but if nothing is done, get used to seeing lions in the zoo, because in 10 years lions will be completely extinct Africa.



Leopards are most adaptable big on earth. They number in the hundreds of thousands. Cougars doing well. Jaguars and tigers doing in the same about.



There are 6,040 wild tigers estimated in the world. As follows:
2,110 bengal Tigers
600 to 1000 Amur Tigers
1,800 IndoChinese Tigers
800 Malayan Tigers
500 Sumatran Tigers
30 South China Tigers.



There maybe more tigers in the wild then lions. An what's to be noted is the tiger population over all has stayed the same or went up to near 10,000 since 1989. When there were over 4,000 tigers in India. Tigers are protected and only illegal poaching, and territorial fights are they main problems. Every other country besides India the tiger population is increasing. What's funny about India is that the officials aren't in agreement with the estimate, and have stated when the real estimate comes the number will be higher. But with India's numbers in, the tiger population is 6,040. 30 years from now tigers will still be here, just like the 1970's. Amur tigers the news from Russia justs gets better and better. I kid you not I'm like a kid at the candy store weighting on the next census of amur tigers.



Last month I got word through emails of my curiousness that there are now over 800 Amur tigers in the wild. It was up to 600 in 2007 after the 2005 census. The news just gets better and better with Amur tigers, in fact out of all subspecies of lions and tigers, the Amur tigers future is the brighest. What a blessing.



Bravo Russian Authorties. Keep it up. I'm telling you people the news on Amur tigers, just keeps getting better and better. Wait till the next census. THE AMUR TIGER IS BACK. Not only that several estimates of Amur Over 750 lbs, have been sighted. Welcome the AMur tiger back. it is flourishing.

Indochinese tigers doing great. Malayan Tigers doing great. Sumatran Tigers there doing pretty good.



Bengal tigers Nepal, Bangledesh doing doing good. Are only concern is India, and let me tell you I have emailed people in charge, and none of them agree with the 1,411 tigers in India. But it's good to draw awareness. Officials In India are shoot to kill orders. That rights if you plan on poaching in India, plan on getting assault rifled in half. You will be shot and killed if you are caught trying to poach a tiger and other species.

But people are turning there eyes and not doing crap about the lion crisis, Tigers are fine, especially in Nepal, And Russia.

Tigers aren't going anywhere people. The cat that is skyrocketing off this earth, is the African Lion. An it hurts because even these lionfanatics on youtube, it hurts, because are so misinformed, that they doing even know what's happening to the African lion. And they don't understand, and they don't understand and the world doesn't understand. How low will the population lions of go, a few hundred in africa? Will the world take a stand and stop the crisis? The way the world is acting, is Africa will be a better place without lions. It's terrible, it's disgusting, and noone is doing diddly squat!

Lions are starving, poisoned by the thousands, inbred, sick, malnourished, are lower in weights, and you people aren't doing shit about it. Am I the one who has to spread the African Lion crisis, because noone else even somes cares, and that's sad, truely is.






Lions poisoned intentionally by pesticides in East-Africa. Read more HERE and HERE


What can you do? Write a letter expressing your concerns about the future and survival of the African lions to the presidents of Kenya and Tanzania. Don´t forget to send a copy of your letter to the ambassadors of these nations in your own country. 

H.E. Mr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania
E-Mail: ikulu@ikulu.go.tz 


H.E. Mr. Mwai Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya
E-Mail: president@statehousekenya.go.ke


Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_kQIQWlSaY

martes, 11 de septiembre de 2012

LION BONE TRADE: ASIAN DEMAND FOR LION BONES WILL KILL OFF AFRICAN LIONS

                    THE KING OF THE JUNGLE NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!

Source: Herald Sun


Text source: YouTube


Every year, hundreds of tourists pay about $20,000 to be able to shoot lions in an enclosure. This is called canned hunting.


With tigers on the brink of extinction, dead lion bones are increasingly used as a substitute in Asian markets as some believe they can cure illnesses.

Some are now afraid lions are being bred just for their bones and that the appetite for lion bones will lead to them being poached in the wild, the same way endangered rhinos have been hunted.

There is no scientific proof tiger and lion bones have any medicinal benefits.


Al Jazeera's Tania Page reports from South Africa.




Read the whole story HERE

Help protect the African lion HERE


Source and credit to Aljazeera http://www.aljazeera.com/video

FAIR USE NOTICE: This video has been posted to further advance our understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, Technological, democratic, scientific, and social justice issues which constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 for research and educational purposes.


Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCyKBEUzZgQ

LION MAFIA: LION BONES NOW A HOT COMMODITY


Source: IOLscitech


iol scitech aug 16 lion bones
AP

Avaaz unveiled a hard-hitting ad campaign in Johannesburg Airport's International Arrivals Hall, South African Airways' inflight magazine, and Google search engines, calling on President Zuma to ban the trade of lion bones to make fake medicines sold in Asia.
Paris - Lion bones have become a hot commodity for their use in Asian traditional medicine, driving up exports from South Africa to the East and creating new fears of the survival of the species.

Conservationists are already angry over lion trophy hunting.

The skeletons are mostly shipped to Vietnam and Laos, feeding conservationists' fears that the market will drive up lion poaching - just as the illegal hunting of rhinos escalates for their horns, also popular in Asian traditional remedies.

“Suddenly, and very recently, there are a great number of people from Laos who have a big interest for trophy hunting. And that had never happened in the whole history of Laos!” said Pieter Kat from conservation NGO LionAid.

Around 500 lions are hunted legally every year in South Africa, most of them from commercial lion breeding farms which also supply zoos all over the world.

Until recently hunters paid $20,000 (about R160 000) just for a trophy to hang above the fireplace, and the carcass was thrown to the dogs.

But their crushed bones have become popular as substitute for the bones of tigers in love potions or “tiger wine”. Trade in tiger parts is banned under international law as the animal is a threatened species.

Now Asian hunters buy lion trophy hunting permits to get at the bones.

“They prefer hunting lionesses, whose $4,000 price tag is more affordable than the males,” Kat told AFP.

Most swear it's about the trophy, which means safari operators and breeders can easily dispose of the carcass at the same time and make an extra buck.

A lion skeleton these days fetches up to $10,000.

A few hundred partial or complete lion skeletons were shipped out of the country in 2010, according to latest official figures - all completely legal.

The trade started in 2008.

“That trade is monitored very, very closely by provincial officers,” said Pieter Potgieter, chairman of the South African Predator Breeders Association.

“They don't release the bones unless they are sure that they come from a legally hunted lion or that the lion died of natural causes.”

But activists cry foul play, saying it is worsening the captive breeding of lions for what has come to be known as “canned” hunting.

“Lions are now being specifically bred in captivity to be 'harvested' for their bones,” said Paul Hart, who runs a lion sanctuary in the south west of the country.

Animal rights groups also say some cats are killed off on the sly, a theory possibly supported by the nabbing of illegal exporters at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

Breeders are also coy about the number of lions they have on their farms. South Africa is thought to have 5,000 in captivity.

But the bones of wild lions - thought to be more potent - are worth even more in Asia, which threatens the 3,000 big cats left in the country's reserves, animal rights groups say.

Around 700,000 people signed an online petition asking President Jacob Zuma to suspend lion bone exports from his country.

“It is just a question of time before the poachers find their way in this market and kill the lions. Why should they go and buy an expensive carcass from a breeder if they can poach it and get it for nearly nothing?” said Chris Mercer from the Campaign Against Canned Hunting.

Breeders deny the lion bone trade will spark poaching similar to that of rhinos. Almost 500 were killed last year alone for their horns, whose trade is banned.

“If lion bone is available legally, on the market, why would anyone choose to take all the risks and costs associated with poaching?

“The South African lion breeding industry can supply a lot of demand, and we can make a contribution towards the saving of the Asian tigers and also the South African lions,” Potgieter defended.

Groups are divided over the dilemma: maintain a legal and regulated trade in lion carcasses from animals bred in captivity or outlaw the trade and risk a spike in poaching.

Authorities, meanwhile, have remained silent. - AFP 

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