Contemporary Cultural Trade of Lion Body Parts

Abstract

Trade in lion parts associated with cultural and traditional use is poorly understood. Here we sought to better understand the role and use of lion body parts in the commercial traditional medicine (muthi) trade of South Africa. In 2019 we conducted a semi-structured questionnaire survey of muthi traders (n = 10) and traditional healers (n = 20) which explored the significance and symbolism of lions, traded parts and preferences, sources and supply of lion parts, and perceived sustainability of lion derivatives in the South African muthi trade. Our results suggest a cultural importance of lion associated with the umndawu ancestral spirit in particular, as well as in the training and practice of cultural–spiritual healers. Lion paws and parts thereof were most frequently reported as sold by traders and demanded by healers, correlating with recent trends in body-part removals from lion mortalities. Respondents indicated that lion parts were obtained from a variety of sources including wild lion populations in neighbouring countries and captive-breeding farms. Our findings are discussed relative to current concerns in lion conservation and highlight a need for further understanding of the traditional medicine complex, the influence that ancestral spirits have on lion body-part trade, and increased engagement with traditional medicine stakeholders.

First direct evidence of lion hunting and the early use of a lion pelt by Neanderthals

“…The cultural value of the modern lion varies among indigenous communities in Africa, but many groups acknowledge the figure of the large felid as part of their culture 86 . Within the realm of South Africa's traditional medicine (muthi), lion parts are highly valued, with the claws being particularly sought-after among healers and traders 106 . In South African Zulu folklore, the big cat represents a metaphor for royalty 107 , while huntergatherers of the Kalahari Desert associated the lion with the afterlife 108 .…”

Reflecting on the role of human‐felid conflict and local use in big cat trade

“…Local uses have rarely been systematically studied or measured to determine their actual scale and impacts on big cats, their sustainability, or legality. In reality, their cumulative offtake levels may exceed the capacity of big cat populations, and their trade chains may quickly extend beyond national and legal boundaries (Coals et al, 2022). For example, the illegal harvest of jaguar body parts by rural and Indigenous communities for personal use and trade within family and community circles for subsistence, medicinal, and cultural reasons (e.g., as symbols of bravery and masculinity, Kelly, 2018), has been reported to exceed cases of international trade in jaguar body parts, and to have reached levels that are most likely impacting jaguar populations (CITES, 2021).…”

“…When conflict is a leading cause of big cat mortality and source of body parts in trade, conflict mitigation measures and technologies developed and piloted for one species have been exported and applied to a wide range of big cats as well as other carnivores with positive results (Holland et al, 2018). Similarly, cross‐species research on the substitutability of felids (and other species) in wildlife markets, though incipient, may achieve insights into consumer preferences (Coals et al, 2022; Coals et al, 2020b; Moorhouse et al, 2020; Rizzolo, 2020, 2021) and could increase preparedness to address trade in other potential substitute species. We are nevertheless cognisant of the deeply embedded nature of cultural values in determining a wide range of wildlife use (especially traditional) and the significant difficulties (practical and moral) associated with shifting such value structures (Manfredo et al, 2017).…”

“…In addition to increasing the chances of detecting and effectively addressing trade in big cats by breaching “species silos,” opening more collaborative spaces for the global community of big cat research and conservation stakeholders can deliver a wide range of benefits through incentivizing knowledge exchange and coordinating conservation actions. Interactions between human‐big cat conflict and local use are worthy of further consideration, particularly from the perspective of contested illegality of wildlife resource use (Hübschle, 2017), especially for traditional and cultural practices that are likely to be perceived to be immutable (e.g., Coals et al, 2022), which has potential to incentivize conflict and may be used to justify legally prohibited practices (for example hunting of “problem” lions, Williams et al, 2017).…”