South Africa lion bones: Officials seize 800 kilos of bones sure for Malaysia – Tek Portal
The shipment, comprised of 12 bins of bones, was pulled for inspection at the O.R. Tambo Worldwide Airport in Johannesburg on Tuesday simply because it experienced not been correctly documented, a assertion from the ministry mentioned.“When the cargo was inspected, 12 bins of lion bones wrapped in aluminum foil and weighing 342 kg ended up found,” the statement reported.A few males — two Zimbabweans and a Congolese person — were arrested in relationship with the shipment, surroundings ministry spokesman Albi Modise told CNN.Lion bones are made use of for traditional medications in Asia, according to the intercontinental wildlife charity Born Free Basis.
Trade in bones of captive-bred lions is legal in South Africa but the suspects experienced failed to get hold of a special permit expected for the export, Modise stated.
Additional than 6,000 lion skeletons were being exported from South Africa to nations around the world in Asia in the past decade, in accordance to researchers finding out the trade.
Among 6,000 and 8,000 lions are bred and held in lion farms in South Africa, though far more lions than that are in the wild in the country.
Born Cost-free Foundation claimed the new seizure reiterates the need to have to finish the practice.
“Captive-bred lions and other predators are exploited for revenue at each individual stage of their life. Quite a few of these animals close up becoming targets for trophy hunters in cruel canned hunts, or being brutally slaughtered so their bones can be exported,” Mark Jones, Born Free’s head of coverage, explained in a assertion.
