Please Help Us Reach 1 Million Petition Signers to Ban the Lion Trade

The following video is Nu Edutainment Films Presents ~ The Truth About Lions:

American hunters are emerging as a strong and growing threat to the survival of African lions, with demand for trophy rugs and necklaces driving the animals towards extinction

The number of wild African lions has fallen sharply in the last 100 years
- A century ago, as many as 200,000 roamed across Africa
- Now, by some estimates, fewer than 40,000 remain in the wild
- Others put the figure for survivors at 23,000, and they have vanished from 80% of the areas where they once roamed

Demand for hunting trophies, such as lion skin rugs, and a thriving trade in animal parts in the US and across the globe have raised the threat levels for African lions, which are already under assault because of conflicts with local villagers and shrinking habitat:

Please Help Us Reach 1 Million Petition Signers to Ban the Lion Trade & Save South African Lions!

In the following letter, the Avaaz team is asking for our help to sign the urgent petition calling on South African President Zuma to:

ban the cruel and senseless trade in lion bones and organs, which is encouraging an industry that could drive lions to the brink of extinction

deter the trade in lion bones

Please sign this urgent petition now and forward to everyone:

at the time of this blog posting, 645,537 have signed

please help us reach 1,000,000 signers to:
- show President Zuma that this brutal trade is hurting South Africa’s booming tourism industry and making visitors flee:
  - so that President Zuma could be forced to act
- also enable the Avaaz team to take out strong ads in airports, tourism websites and magazines:
  - to give the ads their force, please sign the petition in the Avaaz letter below:

“Dear friends,

South African lions are being slaughtered for their bones, just to make bogus sex potions for men. But if we show President Zuma that this hurts South Africa’s image as a tourist destination, he could stop this cruelty by banning the trade in lion bones and organs. Sign the petition below — we’ll take out ads in major tourism magazines and websites:

Hundreds of South African lions are being slaughtered to make bogus sex potions for men. But we can stop this cruel trade by hitting the government where it hurts — the tourism industry.

A global ban on tiger bone sales has traders hunting a new prize — the majestic lions. Lions are farmed under appalling conditions in South Africa for “canned hunting”, where rich tourists pay thousands to shoot them through fences. Now experts say lion bones from these killing farms are being exported to phony ‘medicine’ makers in Asia for record profits. Trade is exploding and experts fear that as prices rise, even wild lions — with only 20,000 left in Africa — will come under poaching attack.

If we can show President Zuma that this brutal trade is hurting South Africa’s image as a tourist destination, he could ban and punish the trade in lion bones. Avaaz is taking out strong ads in airports, tourism websites and magazines, but we urgently need 1 million petition signers to give the ads their force. Sign below to build our numbers fast:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_lion_slaughter_for_sex_aides_d/?bkyeWbb&v=15578

‘Tiger bone wine’ and other tiger-part medicines were banned after massive international outrage — now traders have shifted their attention to lions’ bones to make all kinds of bogus remedies. Experts say unless governments act now, lions could be the next in line — after tigers and rhinos — to face extinction.

There is a solution: banning and punishing the trade of lion bones and organs. South Africa is currently the largest exporter of lion trophies, bones and organs — it is also the only African country actively breeding lions in large numbers to supply trophy hunting. But if we can show that allowing this senseless trade can hurt South Africa’s booming tourism industry and make visitors flee, President Zuma could be forced to act.

Let’s build a thunderous global roar for the lions. Avaaz will show the cruelty of the lion bone trade with stinging ads — sign now:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_lion_slaughter_for_sex_aides_d/?bkyeWbb&v=15578

Avaaz members across the world have come together to demand strong protection for elephants and rhinos, save the world’s bees from poisonous pesticides and achieve huge marine reserves in Chagos and Australia to safeguard vulnerable marine species. Lets come together once again and stand up for Africa’s lions.

With hope, and determination,

Jamie, Alex, Antonia, Mia, Alice, Ricken, Luca, Emily and the entire Avaaz team“

“More information:

Lion Bone Trade Fuels Breeding Business in Africa (Al Jazeera)
http://allafrica.com/view/resource/main/main/id/00040108.html

South Africa continues to support the lion bone trade (LionAid)
http://www.lionaid.org/blog/2012/06/south-africa-continues-to-support-the-lion-bone-trade.htm

Quenching a thirst for lion bones (Mail & Guardian)
http://mg.co.za/article/2012-04-20-quenching-a-thirst-for-lion-bones/

Born to be killed (Carte Blanche)
http://beta.mnet.co.za/carteblanche/Article.aspx?ID=4226

The Lion Bone’s Connected to the … Rhino Horn? (Rhinoconservation.org)
http://www.rhinoconservation.org/2012/05/12/the-lion-bones-connected-to-the-rhino-horn/

Wildlife trafficking trail leads to SA safari man (News 24)
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Bloody-rhino-poaching-trail-leads-to-SA-safari-operator-20110721 “