Na Sylvia Chebet

For story or for real life, di name "king of the jungle" dey show only one picture — one regal, territorial animal wey dey for top of food chain.

Like di famous roaring mascot wey dey announce every film wey dey come out of Hollywood's MGM Studios, di lion for many side represent one ideal wey don sink well for our mind.

But for South Africa, lions wey dem dey breed for captivity and wey dem dey keep for cramped, unnatural condition don dey turn to shadow of dat picture, and scientists dey fear say dis kain life fit even dey change how dia brain dey work.

Dr Louise de Waal, director of Blood Lions, one conservation campaign for South Africa, don visit plenty of these breeding sites and she dey always receive pictures from whistle-blowers wey dey show lions wey don injure or wey dey suffer from sickness.

"You fit hardly sabi dem again as lions," she tell TRT Afrika. "Na shocking sight."

Trophy hunting

Di practice of captive lion breeding start for di 1990s, because people dey ask for lion trophy hunting. Breeders see am as chance to run business without reducing di population for wild.

Within small time, di popularity of "canned hunting" — or di blood sport of trophy hunting for small enclosures wey give lions no chance to escape — skyrocket. "Canned hunts with bred lions dey cheaper and quicker," de Waal explain.

Di price wey dem dey charge na secret wey breeders no dey like talk. Conservationists believe say different lions dey belong to different price brackets, and breeders dey make big money from animals wey get fine, big manes.

For 2015, Blood Lions: Bred for the Bullet — documentary wey win award — expose how bad di situation of captive-bred lions for South Africa be. For one scene, price of US $5,400 show.

People wey dey go these kinds hunts dey want the lion head and skin to hang for wall for dia houses. Breeders don also find another market for di carcasses. Lion skeletons don get big market for Southeast Asia.

"Southeast Asia dey mainly dey use tiger bones for fortified wines. Since tigers don dey rare, e dey more difficult to get tiger bones," de Waal talk. "Lion bones dey perfect replacement for tiger bones for wines. Dem dey also use dem for traditional Chinese medicine."

Fringe benefits

Breeders still dey make extra money by using cubs for attractions like tourist "walk with the lions" experience. Voluntourism dey also bring plenty money, where people pay to volunteer, pet and bottle-feed lion cubs.

Captive-bred lions from South Africa dey exported go zoos and breeding facilities all over di world, but dem dey go mainly Southeast Asia.

So wetin start as trophy-hunting business for di 1990s don turn to one very profitable and wide industry.

"Now, we get about 300 facilities wey dey hold at least 8,000 captive lions for all kinds commercial purposes," di Blood Lions director tell TRT Afrika.

According to data from di International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), South Africa own lion population for wild right now na about 3,500, and di global estimate na around 20,000.

"Most lion farms na heavy production lines," de Waal talk. "For wild, lioness fit get only one litter every two years on average. For captivity dem fit get about four or five litters every two years. Dem go carry away di cubs within days or weeks after dem born."

Unethical practices

For provinces like Limpopo, Free State and Northwest, some breeders dey use di smallest enclosures, and dis dey cause overcrowding.

"I see maybe over 100 lions for one facility," de Waal recall, pointing say most enclosures dey barren with almost no structure to protect di lions from weather.

Di lions dem dey feed mainly chicken, wey no get enough nutrients and vitamins. Nutritional deficiencies plus lack of clean water dey make these animals thin and dem dey suffer many health problems.

"We must ask: wetin be di ethical and moral value of intensively breeding a wild animal, especially an apex predator like di lion, purely for commercial gain?" de Waal question.

Pending regulation

For 2018, di previous South African cabinet decide say dem go close down di lion-breeding industry, but di order never fully implement yet.

As di country dey go through election, de Waal dey wonder whether di next minister for environment go carry am go finish.

"We never don near dis level of shutting di industry before, and na step for di right direction. We dey push di government make dem move am further," de Waal talk.

But most conservationists still worry say no proper implementation plan dey with clear timelines.

Di ministerial task team's report, wey cabinet approve, admit say voluntary exit suppose be only di first step for di journey to end captive breeding of lions.

"Di report rightly recommend say make dem burn plenty lion-bone stockpiles to avoid stimulating demand among Asian consumers and to prevent cover for illegally sourced lion parts," say Dr. Neil D'Cruze, head of wildlife research at World Animal Protection.

Conservationists talk say many breeders don dey stockpile skeletons. Illegal consignments dey often intercept for different ports of exit, especially Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport.

"Di commercial captive lion industry no get place for South Africa landscape," de Waal emphasize. "If we dey breed lions for captivity, e suppose get only one reason: conservation."

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