PRETORIA - The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, has announced a three-month extension for the Ministerial Task Team responsible for exploring voluntary exit strategies for the captive lion industry. This extension, effective from January 1 to March 31, 2024, aims to refine and facilitate the administrative handover of the task team's report.

According to South African Government News Agency, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the extension was granted under section 3A of the National Environmental Management Act, 1998 (Act No. 107 of 1998), as noted in the Government Gazette. This move follows the recommendations of a High-Level Panel regarding the management, breeding, hunting, trade, and handling of elephants, lions, leopards, and rhinoceroses.

The task team's mandate includes engaging with stakeholders in the captive lion industry, relevant authorities, and workers potentially affected by industry changes. A key part of its assignment is to conduct an audit of captive and captive-bred lion facilities to ascertain details such as the number of lions, their age and sex, stockpiles of lion parts and derivatives, and the practices employed within these facilities. Additionally, the task team will evaluate the employment levels and skills of workers and explore alternative land use options within the biodiversity economy.

Other responsibilities outlined for the task team include developing a voluntary exit strategy for stakeholders wishing to leave the captive lion industry, identifying funding mechanisms to support this transition, and advising the Minister on matters related to the industry upon request.

The Terms of Reference for the Ministerial Task Team, as detailed in Government Notice No. 2846 in the Government Gazette No. 47666 dated December 7, 2022, provide a comprehensive framework for their activities. The notice and further details on the task team's extension and objectives can be accessed through the DFFE's official website.