The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency has announced plans to phase out captive lion breeding in the province, aligning with national efforts to close the industry responsibly. This decision supports Cabinet-approved initiatives from April 2024 and recent parliamentary regulations. The move prohibits new facilities and breeding while implementing a sterilisation programme.
In a statement released on 24 February 2026, the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) confirmed its support for national plans to end the captive lion industry in a lawful and humane manner. The agency stated that no new captive lion facilities will be allowed, captive breeding of lions is prohibited, and the importation of captive lions from other provinces will be phased out. A sterilisation programme forms part of a voluntary exit strategy recommended by a Ministerial Task Team.
This provincial decision follows a unanimous approval by the National Council of Provinces last week of new Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS) regulations, which include measures against certain activities involving African lions. All provinces agreed with the report. The reforms stem from earlier discussions, including the 2018 Parliamentary Lion Colloquium and the High-Level Panel on Lions, Rhinos, Elephants and Leopards, which led to a policy position endorsed by Cabinet in April 2024.
Simphiwe Shungube, senior manager and spokesperson for the MTPA, explained the rationale: “We are supporting the national project on the issues of the implementation of the phasing out of the captive lion facilities. The reason being, it’s the issue of the exploitation of lions… this thing of exploitation of lions is a problem.” He noted that Mpumalanga is at an advanced stage in the process, with timelines to be announced soon.
South Africa's captive lion sector has faced international scrutiny for practices such as cub-petting tourism, canned hunting, and exporting skeletons to Southeast Asia. From 2010 to 2019, over 7,400 lion skeletons were exported, with 98% going to that region. Annual quotas reached as high as 1,500 skeletons until a 2019 court ruling deemed earlier quotas unlawful for ignoring welfare. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment later set the export quota to zero. The industry is currently in litigation against the department, seeking quotas for stockpiled skeletons.
Mpumalanga's announcement emphasizes a shift toward ethical, conservation-driven tourism, focusing on protected areas like parts of Kruger National Park. Implementation challenges include managing existing lions and preventing illegal activities during the wind-down.
