Boskoppie Lion Breeding Center, Part 1: Conflicting Feelings

  1. Anonymous says:

    Quite a story.

    I'm considering working with I-to-I for a trip to work with pandas in central China. Can you recommend working with them based on your own experience?

    Many thanks,

    Richard

  2. Anonymous says:

    Sounds like the canned hunting industrie… 🙁

  3. Anonymous says:

    Following my first comment..
    Look at the video on: http://beta.mnet.co.za/carteblanche/Article.aspx?ID=4243

    In part 2 there's something about Boskoppie..

    Greetings,

    Sarah

  4. Showit User says:

    Hi Sarah, thanks for posting that video!! I actually was interviewed via email and spoke with the reporters about my fears and concerns its wonderful to see Peter and Ingrid caught on film in their lies.

  5. Rebecca Yale says:

    Hi Sarah, thanks for posting that video!! I actually was interviewed via email and spoke with the reporters about my fears and concerns its wonderful to see Peter and Ingrid caught on film in their lies.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I am spending three weeks in boskoppie volunteering in june/july but having read this I really don't want to go anymore!! Any tips/coping strategies that would make my time easier?

  7. Anonymous says:

    Don't EVER go to Boskoppie! It is run like a concentration camp!

  8. Anonymous says:

    Don't go with i-to-i! They don't pick you up from the airport and do not care for your safety in a foreign country!

  9. Anonymous says:

    If you do decide to go to Boskoppie, its much cheaper to go direct through them – i-i are very good for inspiration but I found they were not that helpful and I agree with the last comment – they drop you off at a youth hostal which is out of the way and considering what you pay they should have put people up at a decent hotel near the airport.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Doesn't only SOUND like canned hunting, it IS. No, I repeat: NO hand-bred feline like these are sold to game reserves. They're sold to be cowardly shot at close range…

  11. Anonymous says:

    Doesn't only SOUND like canned hunting, it IS. No, I repeat: NO hand-bred feline like these are sold to game reserves. They're sold to be cowardly shot at close range…

  12. Karra says:

    When cubs are taken away from mothers to be hand reared you know something is VERY wrong. Facilities like this hide behind the term 'conservation' to bring in paying volunteers but this is certainly not what it is. The cubs are tamed to be sold for canned hunting and people are foolish enough to pay for this to happen. PLEASE PLEASE reasearch facilities properly first before visiting.

    I volunteered through Worldwide Experience at the Shamwari Game Reserve. Amazing and a truly real conservation experience. While I was here they had two white lion cubs in their rehabilitation centre which had been rejected by their mother. The vet nurse was the ONLY person to hand rear them, and as soon as they were on solids they were kept away from humans to ensure they were raised as real wild animals. This is the only way cubs should ever be reared. Minimal human contact. So they can go back to the wild as they are meant to be.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Daughter has booked a trip with i-to-i for 2 weeks starting June 5th. I am ready to pull the plug based on what I've read here. Can anyone comment on recent experiences at the Lion Park? Thanks very much.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Daughter has booked a trip with i-to-i for 2 weeks starting June 5th. I am ready to pull the plug based on what I've read here. Can anyone comment on recent experiences at the Lion Park? Thanks very much.

  15. Mari Contu says:

    Ive been to Boskoppie about 3 years ago. I was supposed to be there for 6 weeks, i left after 3 weeks, even though i didnt get my money back.

    The only nice things there were the baby tigers, and the very sweet dog Roxy (Jack Russel).
    At the time i didnt know about canned hunting, i do now. And i believe they are definitely involved in canned hunting.

    The older tigers/lions are in another enclosure. The volunteers were supposed to go inside to clean. However when they bite u (and they do!) you are supposed to hit them until they stop.
    The other volunteers didnt seem to have a problem with that, but their pants were torn anyway.

    I refused to go into their enclosures because i wasnt comfortable with hitting them (or any other animal for that matter)!!!

    So if you are thinking about going there, i would highly suggest that you do NOT go there.. Please!!

    There are other places where u can volunteer that are not involved in canned hunting.

    I love South Africa, and ive been there 5 times, and more to come..

    If you'd like to know more about Boskoppie and/or other placed to volunteer in SA, feel free to email me: willow83@gmail.com

  16. Mari Contu says:

    Ive been to Boskoppie about 3 years ago. I was supposed to be there for 6 weeks, i left after 3 weeks, even though i didnt get my money back.The only nice things there were the baby tigers, and the very sweet dog Roxy (Jack Russel).At the time i didnt know about canned hunting, i do now. And i believe they are definitely involved in canned hunting.The older tigers/lions are in another enclosure. The volunteers were supposed to go inside to clean. However when they bite u (and they do!) you are supposed to hit them until they stop.The other volunteers didnt seem to have a problem with that, but their pants were torn anyway.I refused to go into their enclosures because i wasnt comfortable with hitting them (or any other animal for that matter)!!!So if you are thinking about going there, i would highly suggest that you do NOT go there.. Please!!There are other places where u can volunteer that are not involved in canned hunting.I love South Africa, and ive been there 5 times, and more to come..If you'd like to know more about Boskoppie and/or other placed to volunteer in SA, feel free to email me: willow83@gmail.com

  17. Unknown says:

    I was planning on going to Boskoppie during this holiday season after a visit to my dad. I asked my ex-husband to call them to find out if any of the animals are drugged in order to facilitate touching them as there would be no way that I would go there if this was the case. The lady at reception was quite taken aback by this question and very adamant that they did not drug any of their animals in any way. After speaking to my daughter and her boyfriend last night, I now know that most of these places, especially in the Free State, participate in canned hunting, which is something I am also TOTALLY against. This morning I decided to do some research and I am so thankful to have come upon this page. You have made my decision not to go there very clear-cut and I want to thank you for posting about your experience. I would've hated myself for going if I had only found out about Boskoppie after the visit. Please know that the TIA thing is not something that all of us South Africans participate in. There are many of us who feel the same way you do about places who condone that nonchalant type of behaviour; no matter the industry. Thank you, again, for taking the time and putting in the effort to assist those of us who haven't experienced what you have!

    Best regards
    Angela Klaasen

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