Discussion | Canned Hunting | Decision to end captive big cat breeding

CAPE TOWN - Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister, Barbara Creecy, says South Africa will end the captive breeding of lions. 

READ: Easy, tiger: Study maps big cats' personalities

Owners of farms where lions are bred for such purposes, are given two years to voluntarily withdraw from the sector and change their business model before the ban begins. 

According to industry experts there are more captive lions in the country than wild ones.

It is estimated that there about 12,000 captive lions in the country and only 3,500 in the wild.

READ: WATCH | Cheetah Transfer | Big cats charge off to India

Fiona Miles, from animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS spoke to eNCA.