Save lions from sick new `sport'

From the Echo, first published Saturday 29th Jan 2005.

A BUSINESSMAN is hoping to save a pride of South African lions, which are destined to fall prey to a sickening new type of hunting.

Adam Murry, who runs the Bill Jordan Foundation for Wildlife, only has a few weeks to try and prevent two lions and two lionesses - one pregnant - being sold to an organisation which organises `canned hunting' trips for tourists.

The Royal Pride - named by Mr Murry and his organisation - were saved by the South African authorities after being captured illegally.

They will now be auctioned off and the only bidders other than the foundation - which is a non-profit organisation based in Canford Cliffs - are people who run hunting reserves.

The Bill Jordan Foundation is working with a South African-based charity, SanWild.

They fear the animals will be used for canned hunting, which is becoming increasingly popular, especially with American and German tourists.

Mr Murry, 35, who runs various businesses in the area from jewellers to salons, said: "The lionesses will be put into small cages and made to breed until they can't anymore."

He said that once they are no longer of any use for breeding, they are killed, which usually involves knocking them on the head with a hammer.

"The females cubs will also be knocked on the head," he said. "Male cubs are grown until they can be released into an area of bush land about the size of a football pitch. They are drugged and hunters shoot at them."

Mr Murry said the animals are fed pellets instead of meat and it can take up to eight blows to kill a lion with a hammer.

And inexperienced hunters may have to shoot at an animal as many as 15 times before killing them.

Mr Murry added the charity needs to raise at £20,000 to have a chance of out-bidding the hunting reserve people but that it could be more.

"We will be devastated if we don't manage to save them," he said.

He is also campaigning to stop the hunting being sanctioned in South Africa.

The Jordan Foundation, along with many other campaigners, has 20 days to prepare arguments against it.

And Mr Murry urged people wanting to stop this happening to email the South African government.

If you would like to donate money to help the Royal Pride, contact Mr Murry on 01202 700037 or email support@wildlifedefence.org.

For more information on the foundation, which also helps orphaned children and animals other than lions, such as elephants and rhinos around the world, visit www.wildlifedefence.org

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