Celebrities join us to expose the cruelty of lion parks

On the day that we released a report, Breeding cruelty – how tourism is killing Africa’s lions, celebrities came out in force online to back us and speak out for lions in need. 

Ricky Gervais, Ian Somerholder, Ke$ha, Taylor Hasselhoff, Tanya Streeter, and Kristen Renton made their voices heard.

The global outcry of the killing of Cecil the lion has highlighted the dark world of entertainment parks that many tourists may be unwittingly visiting. 

Lion parks are increasingly popular attractions where tourists can get up close and personal for a ‘once in a life-time’ encounter with wild lions in captivity. Intensively bred, taken from their mothers, sometimes at just a few weeks old, lion cubs are used as photo props for tourist ‘selfies’. 

Watch our undercover footage from a lion park 

Lion parks deny supplying captive bred lions for ‘Canned’ or ‘Put and Take’ lion hunting, however most possess little knowledge of what happens to lions after they have been sold.

Kate Nustedt, Director of Wildlife at World Animal Protection says: “We are incredibly grateful to all these wonderful supporters who are using their high-profile voice to join our movement to protect wild animals.

“It is entirely credible that the lion cubs from holiday ‘selfies’ may become the same animals that are later shot by trophy hunters. 

 

“By refusing to visit lion parks and instead paying to see animals in the wild, you can help to end the demand that keeps this cruelty alive.

  

“We must make these changes now, to truly protect Africa’s lions. If Cecil’s death does one thing we hope that it is to give a greater urgency to the tourism industry and governments to urgently act to protect our wildlife.”

How you can help 

Join the movement today spread the word about why you should never visit a wild animal attraction.

The global outcry of the killing of Cecil the lion has highlighted the dark world of entertainment parks that many tourists may be unwittingly visiting