The new policy will prohibit the keeping and breeding of lions in captivity and the use of any captive lion parts for commercial purposes.
South Africa has anywhere between 8,000 and 12,000 lions in captivity, according to various figures from the government and wildlife organizations. It’s the only country doing "intense breeding of lions,” said Neil Greenwood of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
South Africa's policy change was announced by Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy on Sunday after a yearlong study by a panel of experts. They recommended the industry be ended as it had a “negative impact" on conservation and on the country's ecotourism image.