Does petting a lion help African wildlife?

Many people dream of being close to African wildlife. Being close to lions, cheetahs and leopards is not a question of "how" than rather a matter of "how much". All over the world, there are facilities which meet the demand of animal lovers wanting to pet lions and other wildlife. But do these facilities fulfil the claims they make to draw in well-meaning tourists? Does the "orphaned" lion cub get raised and released back into the wild? Is there even space for more lions in the wild? Does the facility use the funding to support the conservation of wild animals?

Om Podcasten

Greetings! I'm Val from the expansive Kalahari Desert in Botswana. For over a decade, I've dedicated myself to conservation and tourism. Among my most cherished experiences is raising Sirga, a lioness I rescued as a mere ten-day-old cub. Through our countless journeys together, she's mastered the art of hunting, and today, we wander freely across the vast stretches of the Kalahari we proudly call home. Join me in this podcast series as I bring the captivating tales of the African bush directly to you!