Lions Bones and Bullets Documentary

On 15 December 2022, three local NGOs (Humane Society International/Africa, Panthera Africa, and Blood Lions, will host an exclusive screening of the new documentary “Lions, Bones & Bullets” – shedding light onto South Africa’s controversial commercial captive lion industry.

The screening, taking place at the Hermanus Auditorium at 9 am, will be followed by a panel discussion featuring industry professionals and investigative journalist, Don Pinnock.

A new documentary, “Lions, Bones & Bullets”, sheds light on South Africa’s commercial captive lion industry, Exclusive screening of the film is to be held on 15 Dec.

“Lions, Bones & Bullets” is a new documentary that sheds light onto South Africa’s controversial commercial captive lion industry and follows the wildlife trafficking trail to Laos and Viet Nam.

British author Richard Peirce talks to lion farmers in South Africa who are exporting lion bones to Southeast Asia for the traditional medicine trade, supplementing the tiger bones trade. Peirce uncovers the elaborate wildlife fraud of processing lion bones into “food products”, which could contain zoonotic diseases that can potentially lead to another pandemic.

The U.K. production company, Jagged Peak Films, is behind this new investigative film with producers Anton Leach, Jasmine Duthie, and Richard Peirce. The film is narrated by British actor Peter Egan.

South African non-governmental organizations Panthera Africa big cat sanctuary, Humane Society International/Africa, and Blood Lions have come together to offer an exclusive screening of Lions, Bones & Bullets in the Hermanus Auditorium on Thursday the 15 December 2022.

The screening starts at 9 a.m. with coffee, tea, and delicious vegan pastries and will be followed by an informative panel discussion moderated by independent investigative journalist Dr Don Pinnock.

Link to the Event Details: Lions Bones and Bullets

Dr. Audrey Delsink, wildlife director of Humane Society International/Africa, said: “Captive lion breeding and all of its associated industries from cub-petting to canned lion hunting has been allowed to fester unabated for nearly two decades. The result is an animal welfare crisis with serious risks and consequences for the people that both work with and interact with these animals. Urgent and decisive action is needed; this can no longer be swept under the proverbial lion’s rug.”

Dr. Louise de Waal, director of Blood Lions, said: “Even though Minister Creecy of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment announced in May 2021 that South Africa will no longer breed captive lions, keep lions in captivity, or use captive lions or their derivatives commercially, in other words, the government intends to effectively end the commercial captive lion industry, no real changes have so far been implemented.”

Lions in a cub-petting facility in Free State, South Africa.
Credit: Adam Peyman from HSI

Cathrine Cornwall-Nyquist, the co-founder of Panthera Africa, said: “It is with utmost urgency that all of us, the public, corporates, organizations, and government, wake up to their responsibility to bring an end to the atrocities captive big cats in South Africa are subjected to. Lions, Bones, and Bullets brilliantly portray the truth about their current situation, which enables us all to make conscious and well-informed decisions, to free the Kings and Queens of Africa.”

Watch the trailer for Lions, Bones & Bullets

NOTE: The event is by invitation only, however, if anyone is interested to attend, please contact Leozette Roode from Humane Society International/Africa at Lroode@hsi.org