This was my post from the visit to Glen Garriff Lion Reserve two years ago:
Since that first visit, I have made sure to visit Glen Garriff both times I returned to South Africa. This year, the place had changed. Drastically. Andi Rive, who managed the farm for the last four years, is gone. The farm is still beautiful–in fact, it is so beautiful that it’s one of my favorite places on the planet, and the lions are still impressive and sweet and intimidating–but the place has changed. Pat Shannon has a very different management style than Andi had. Still, it’s an amazing place.
It’s not entirely a sanctuary anymore–a place where people bring lions who need saving. It’s still a lion farm, and it’s a lion reserve, but hunting has been reinstated, selectively and prudently, but even so, it breaks my heart. I love the place, but this change has made me reconsider lots of things in life, and lots of things about hunting, butchering, and eating meat.
One of our travelers asked me, “What’s the difference between hunting [a lion or an elephant] and killing a steer to eat the beef?” Well, for one, nobody eats lions, but the last elephant Pat Shannon hunted did feed an entire village, he told us. But on that note, who, who, who can shoot an elephant? The idea in the year 2015 sort of makes my stomach hurt. Those magnificent creatures with amazing brains and emotions? And lions–they are smart and have immense emotional ability, too. And can any lion be hunted after being fed by humans for months or years?
Pat was a truly gracious, generous host, and we has a wonderful time on the lion reserve, but I am troubled by all these questions. I can’t answer all these questions ethically. Is there a difference between hunting an animal that will feed a village and slaughtering a cow that will feed a few American families? Maybe there isn’t. Maybe we all truly need to return to our vegetarian roots. I have a hard time being a vegetarian, but if I have to kill my meat, I’m only going to eat fish and two-legged birds. I can’ kill a kudu or an eland or a steer….But killing one animal for meat and letting the herd run wild seems like conservation and good stewardship of the world rather than hunting solely for sport. That, I can’t agree with.
I’m not writing this with a definitive answer. I’m only raising the question because it’s been haunting me since my last visit to the lion farm.
But, here are some amazing pictures of the lions I’m talking about. The photo of me is in front of a mountain on the farm. Between me and the mountain are herds of zebra, blesbok, wildebeest, and ostriches! It’s as beautiful as it appears.
This photo was taken in 2013, with one of three cubs Andi was raising.
Here’s another photo of the mountain, with a too-distant glimpse of something in the valley. The next-to-last photo is a mama with her couple-week-old babies. She was uber-protective, and the babies were cuter than seems possible.
The last photo is of Andi with one of the cubs, taken two years ago.
Andi has since been the subject of a documentary series, “The Lion Queen.” I hope that we eventually get to see it here in the U.S.
And, I hope that Andi can continue her work with lions. A second season of “The Lion Queen” may be filmed….it all remains to be seen.
Are you saying GG allows lions to be hunted? As I understand it, they low game hunting of antelope and wildebeest, etc., but no lions are ever allowed to be hunted.
When is your last information about this? I have heard mixed reports, but I’m in a different continent, so I can’t confirm or deny.
Watching your amazing lion sanctuary, omg your 100% commitments are extraordinary,love watching this and I couldn’t believe when you had that 90,000 they taxed you, so unfair, you have my full support in what you do, if I had the money I would gladly donate, I hope the future is bright for you and your team and those wonderful lion’s 🦁🤗