Born to Live Wild – A Pledge to Wildlife
The Fly in Safari Company are proud to say we offer 100% responsible and ethical wildlife viewing experiences. While wildlife viewing is included in most of our tours and safaris we believe wildlife must only be viewed in their natural environment with the highest level of respect towards the animals.
​As a responsible tour & safari operator we DO NOT support any institutions that exploit wildlife for entertainment purposes and we advise our clients to do the same. Although advertised as fun, educational and pro-conservation, activities like cub petting, lion walks, and elephant rides are unnatural and stressful for the animals involved and should be avoided at all cost.
​Activities such as cub petting and walking with lions directly contributes to the exploitative predator breeding and canned hunting (lions and other predators) industry. Currently, in South Africa, there are approximately 8 000 lions (and other predators) living in poor conditions in caged in or confined areas for human entertainment or canned hunting. This has nothing to do with conservation. If we don’t act now that number can double in only a few years.
​The documentary film ‘Blood Lions’ has brought the horrors of predator breeding, canned hunting and a variety of other exploitative activities using lions and other species to the world’s attention.
​The Fly in Safari Company supports the team at Blood Lions and their aims to find a solution and have committed ourselves by signing their ‘Born to Live Wild’ pledge.
​We commit ourselves to the following:
- To not knowingly book or otherwise support any breeder or operator that contributes to the cycle of breeding, exploitation and senseless killing of predators. This includes all petting and ‘walking with lion’ facilities
- To continue our support and promotion of the formal conservation community in their endeavours to secure the survival of Africa’s predators in the wild. Without wild lions and the rest of the predator guild extant in functioning ecosystems, there will be no African tourism industry; a calamitous situation for many economies
- To continue in our own endeavours towards wildlife conservation and economic development wherever we operate across Africa
- To continue supporting an ethical and responsible interaction with Africa’s wilderness and wild animals
- To continue promoting Africa as an authentic, wild and rewarding tourism destination