Watch Blood Lions

Blood Lions is a documentary film that brings to light the dark and gruesome details of the lion breeding and canned hunting industry that operates in South Africa. The film is a collaboration between environmental journalist Ian Michler and Pippa Hankinson, a documentary filmmaker. The film is a heart-wrenching portrayal of the atrocities that occur in the lion breeding industry in South Africa, where lions are bred in captivity for the sole purpose of being shot by hunters. The documentary starts with the narrator quoting the alarming statistic that the number of lions in the wild has decreased from over 450,000 in the 1940s to fewer than 20,000 today. However, despite this alarming statistic, South Africa has seen a surge in lion breeding farms where lions are caged bred and used for hunting and tourist interactions.

The film consists of various interviews with people working in the industry, conservationists, breeders, hunters, tourists, and campaign groups. It is a gripping and thought-provoking documentary that highlights the moral, ethical, and environmental issues of the lion breeding and canned hunting industry.

The film shows how the lion breeding industry is driven by the demand for hunting trophies and tourist experiences. Tourists are offered interactions with lion cubs, and they are allowed to bottle-feed the cubs, pet them, and take pictures with them. These interactions give tourists the false sense that lions are domesticated animals and lead them to believe that canned hunting is acceptable. Although tourists believe that they are helping lion conservation projects, their money is going to breeders who are perpetuating the breeding of lions in captivity for profit and ultimately for hunting.

The film goes on to explore the actual hunting process, which is anything but sport. The caged-bred lions are released into an enclosure, usually in a fenced area, where they are easy targets for hunters. These lions are not wild animals and have no chance of escaping, as they have been bred in captivity and have no survival skills. The hunters only have to pay a fee, and they are guaranteed a kill trophy. This industry goes against the principles of fair chase, which is a hunting ethic that advocates for giving the animal a chance to escape.

The documentary also brings to light the loopholes in the existing regulations in South Africa, which are inadequate and poorly enforced. The law requires that the animal should have a chance to escape, which is not possible in a fenced area. Despite this, loopholes in the law allow for the hunting of caged-bred lions under the ludicrous guise of "conservation". The film shows the role of the Professional Hunting Association in supporting canned hunting and lobbying to keep the loopholes in the law intact. The documentary also exposes the corruption and lack of transparency in the industry, where breeders and hunters bribe officials to get permits and licenses.

The film is not just about exposing the darker side of the lion breeding and hunting industry; it also shows what conservationists are doing to combat the spread of canned hunting. The documentary highlights the work of the Campaign Against Canned Hunting (CACH) and the Blood Lions campaign, which aim to raise awareness about the issue and push for changes in legislation. The Blood Lions campaign successfully managed to get 200 airlines worldwide to agree not to transport lion hunting trophies, which is a significant blow to the industry.

In conclusion, Blood Lions is a must-watch documentary film for anyone interested in animal rights, ethical hunting, and conservation. The film is not just a portrayal of the horrors of the lion breeding and canned hunting industry. It is also a call to action for anyone wanting to make a difference in the lives of captive-bred lions and to prevent their extinction in the wild. The film is a powerful tool in educating people about the consequences of their actions and how they can be part of the solution to this grave issue.

Blood Lions is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes.