RIDING LIONS ON SAFARI?

Bernelee Vollmer

TRAVEL COMPANIES SAY ‘NO’ AS UNUSUAL REQUESTS INCREASE

RIDING a lion is prohibited due to the danger it poses to both humans and animals. Lions are wild animals and are not meant to be ridden, especially for entertainment purposes.

It may seem like a strange request because a lion is, after all, unpredictable and can attack humans, causing severe injuries and can even lead to death.

A travel consultant at Discover Africa told CNBC she was asked by clients if their young son could ride a lion on a safari! When the consultant explained it was not possible, the clients asked what other wild animals their son could ride. People would do anything for the Gram, and this seems like one of them: “Hey look, my son, riding the most dangerous animal.”

“I reminded them they were wild animals, and there was no possibility of this happening,” said the senior travel consultant.

This statement seemed to upset the travellers, who then decided not to travel with the company. Instead, they chose to travel to India, where riding a tiger is allowed.

According to the World Animal Protection organisation, wildlife tourism that includes activities such as riding, petting, or taking selfies with wild animals can cause severe physical and psychological harm to the animals. This includes lions, who may experience stress and trauma from being ridden or subjected to other unnatural activities.

Additionally, several countries have laws and regulations in place to protect wild animals from exploitation for tourism purposes. For example, in South Africa, it is illegal to ride elephants or interact with lions that are older than 8 months.

It’s important to be ethical when it comes to dealing with animals on your trips. And seriously, asking to ride a lion is just plain crazy and borderline animal abuse. There are way better ways to enjoy animals, like checking out ethical wildlife tourism activities such as observing animals from a safe distance in their natural habitats.

Therefore, as travellers, educate yourself and your family on responsible tourism practices and discourage activities that exploit wild animals.