A process to save lions in South Africa

I think we all happened to see in a movie or read in a book the compelling story of a lawyer who fights to save an innocent, unjustly on death row.

But here we are not in the plot of a legal bestseller set in Texas but, unfortunately, we are in reality; the lawyer is an environmentalist and the defendants are two unaware and innocent lions: Mufasa, a beautiful specimen of white lion, and Soraya, his lioness.

These two wonderful felines were born in the intensive breeding of lions that are found in South Africa, in these places the puppies are snatched from their mothers to become tourist attractions; unfortunately many tourists, who do not know the reality that gravitates behind these places, pay to interact with these lions, believing to subsidize conservation, they do not know instead that they finance one of the most cruel industries on the African continent.

These lions, once they become adults, are no longer in contact with tourists, but are destined to "trophy hunting" and, subsequently, the carcasses are sold to produce the wine of lion bones, a very popular product in Asia; a sad and chilling destiny for these poor animals and all this happens in the silent silence of many realities that derive profits from it.

But let's get to the story of Musafa and Soraya.

In 2015 a veterinary saved these two puppies, who were in desperate conditions, treated them in her big cat rehabilitation center, located in the South African province of Gauteng and, subsequently, the veterinary decided to initiate a procedure to save their lives and to free them in a sanctuary, where they can live peacefully as two lions should do.

But when Tjitske, the veterinary, presents the application to the authorities, to obtain the permits for the transfer, the Department of Agriculture, that had carried out the initial seizure of the puppies and had entrusted them to her care, realizes that the male lion is not any longer a little battered and malnourished lion like many others, but has become a beautiful adult white lion.

The value of this specimen, as a hunting trophy, is very high, as well as its bones could yield a lot of money for the production of the lion bones wine; the coffers of the Department of Agriculture, furthermore, undermined by corruption and inefficiency, always need revenue.

The South African Department of Agriculture then decides to block the issue of permits and requires the male lion back.

Tjitske, however, refuses to return Mufasa, as it would have meant to condemn it to death, and she turns to an environmental lawyer, claiming that the two lions had been entrusted to her care after a seizure and not simply "parked" in her structure.

Carel, the lawyer who follows this litigation, is a lawyer who mainly deals with environmental crimes and is a passionate advocate of animal rights; Carel immediately took Mufasa's story to heart and began his unprecedented legal battle by declaring "My client is a wild animal that will end its life as a lion and not as a trophy".

Carel launches an International awareness campaign and dozens of celebrities and influential people join this battle; many South Africa sanctuaries come forward to offer their structure as the ultimate home for Mufasa and Soraya, that are inseparable.

A petition is launched to collect signatures; in a short time it is spread around the world and over 360,000 signatures are collected.

If you want to sign the petition for Mufasa the white lion, click here.

International donors come forward and offer figures to cover legal fees, but at that point Carel, instead of accepting payment as his fee, decides to donate the amount raised for the purchase of the two lions.

The South African Department of Agriculture, annoyed by the bad publicity towards it, deriving from this campaign, and above all the International attention that this case is attracting to the lions breeding industry and the cruelties related to the trade of bones for wine, refuses to sell the two lions.

The process, to definitively resolve this issue, is scheduled for March 2019.

Many countries are talking about this affair and even in Italy a Facebook group has been opened to follow this case and to raise public awareness.

You can find the link of the Facebook group dedicated to Musafa, the white lion, here.