Various reasons have been adduced by those who keep lions and other wildcats for doing so, and these could be based on their desire to either have a rare and powerful pet at home, or for security purposes or for breeding for sale in the growing illegal domestic wildlife market.
Meanwhile, the trade in lions is prohibited internationally under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna (CITES), and locally in Nigeria, as they are protected by the Endangered Species Act of 2016 and by the Endangered Species Control, which was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari. Thus, conservationists are certain the government could evoke these laws and treaties to punish the Lagos resident who had a lion as an illegal pet.
We commend the Lagos State government for its timely response to the distress calls from the neighbours of the lion pet keeper. But the government, at all levels, must do more to protect residents from avoidable accidents and possible death in our towns and cities if wild beasts like lions, kept as illegal pets, break their bounds on account of hunger and go in search of food.
Nigeria may just be a ready market, but in the time past and as one of the range states of lion across Africa, the nation had large population of the protected animal. Regrettably, they are now known to survive in only two sites in the country, and these are Kainji Lake National Park where researchers tracked up to 30 lions and Yankari Game Reserve with less than five cats. However, records show that no fewer than 50 cats live in the wild in Nigeria.
Yet without lions, according to experts, the entire ecosystems can falter, so by remaining in the wild they play a key role in the food chain. That explains why nobody should be allowed to turn them into house pets in Nigeria.
