Lions At Sad “Farm” Are So Ill They Don’t Even Have Fur

It’s called the “snuggle scam” 💔

In South Africa, there are more lions living on “farms” than in the wild, and recently released undercover photos provide a glimpse into what life might be like for one of the world’s most majestic animals.

Many of the lions at the breeding facility at Pienika Farm in the North West Province were found to be bald and suffering from mange, reduced to lying on dry, dusty ground and eating scraps of meat.

Two lion cubs with severe disorders were displayed; it appeared that they were unable to even stand up for themselves. It was demonstrated that other lions were crammed into confined spaces without enough shelter or water.

This facility is just one in a network of about 200 that capitalizes on people’s desire to be near big cats. The cycle of exploitation that is continued by these “farms” has a name, according to activists at Humane Society International (HSI): the “snuggle scam.” That’s because visitors are tricked into thinking they’re supporting a completely different kind of facility.

According to Audrey Delsink, wildlife director for HSI/Africa, “South Africa’s captive lion breeding industry is a vicious cycle of exploitation, from cradle to grave.” Lion cubs are taken away from their mothers when they are only a few days old and are then hand-reared by paid volunteers from all over the world, including the United Kingdom, who are led to believe the cubs are orphans.

Growing older only makes things worse for the animals.

Delsink stated: “Once too big and dangerous for these activities, these lions are then killed for their bones, which are exported to Asia for traditional medicines, or sold to be killed by trophy hunters, primarily from the United States, in “canned” hunts in which hand-reared lions are shot in a fenced area from which they cannot escape.”

There are fewer than 3,000 wild lions in South Africa, but there are more than twice that number living in confined spaces on these farms.

Charges have been brought in this case against Pienika Farm. The two cubs that couldn’t walk were taken away and taken to the vet. There are over 100 lions living at the farm, but it’s unclear what will become of them.

Because they were captive-bred and lack the survival skills necessary for the wild, these animals cannot simply be released there, according to Delsink. “Sadly, there is no easy way to quickly find homes for more than 100 lions at once. These lions are the innocent victims, which makes the situation very sad.”