A second article on the same subject - actually an earlier date

Ifaw: Mpumalanga Bungling Over Lions

South African Press Association - Johannesburg

January 15, 2003

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) on Wednesday accused the Mpumalanga Parks Board (MPB) of bureaucratic bungling which was endangering the lives of eight lions.

IFAW said in a statement released in Cape Town that the MPB planned to confiscate the eight captive-bred lions only three weeks before a court case which could give the Enkosini Wildlife Sanctuary permission to keep them.

The lions were moved to Enkosini in 2001, but the MPB refused to give the sanctuary permits to import the lions into the province due to a 1997 moratorium on new projects involving captive-bred lions. Enkosini decided to challenge the MPB's decision in court and the case was due to be heard on February 4.

IFAW said the MPB now wanted to confiscate the lions and move them twice -- first to Johannesburg and then on to an undisclosed location.

"This decision to move the lions so indiscriminately is foolish and poorly thought out," said Kelcey Grimm, managing director of the Enkosini Wildlife Sanctuary.

"Why is it so urgent that the animals health and well-being should be compromised when, in just three weeks time on February 4, a high court application will review the MPB's decision not to give us permits to keep the lions at Enkosini and may well overturn that decision allowing the animals to remain."

Grimm said there were concerns that being tranquillised twice and transported would put the animals at risk.

The eight lions were part of a group of 10 that had been destined for so-called "canned" hunting. The animals were acquired from a game farm in the Free State and were taken to Enkosini outside Lydenburg in Mpumalanga.

Enkosini said it had met all of the MPB's predator specifications, including property size, fencing and health certificates for all the lions.

IFAW spokesman, Nthethe Raditapole, condemned the MPB's intended confiscation of the lions.

"Here we have eight animals who are literally refugees from the worst type of animal welfare abuses and the MPB is denying them sanctuary and the right to rehabilitation and, in fact, wants to subject them to the stress of this ill conceived move - not once, but twice," Raditapole said.

"IFAW can only encourage the MPB to cut through its own red tape and to put the welfare of the animals first -- at least until the outcome of the forthcoming court review has been heard and concluded."