Vienna, 4 June 2025 – The number of captive lions in Thailand has more than tripled in just six years, sparking urgent calls from global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS for decisive international action to end the commercial exploitation of big cats. With almost half of all the lion cubs born every year in Thailand being “white” lions, the facilities are exploiting a recessive mutation hardly existing in the wilderness. This “special look” comes with a high price for the animals – they are often inbred and suffer severe lifelong health conditions – and they never experience life in the wild.

A peer-reviewed study published this month in Discover Conservation reveals that Thailand’s captive lion population has grown from just over 131 lions in 2018 to more than 444 in 2024 – despite the country’s inclusion of lions as a protected non-native species under domestic legislation in 2022.

The study’s key findings paint a grim picture:

• Over 90% of lions are held in private zoos and breeding farms, with some facilities housing more than 50 lions each.
• The number of lions increased from over 131 to over 444 animals.
• The number of lion breeding facilities increased from 31 to 82 between 2018 and 2024.
• Hybrid lions, including white lions bred for visual appeal, have increased significantly – from 1 to 32 - despite well-documented health issues.
• On average, 101 cubs are born annually, with nearly half being white lions, sold for up to $7,500 each, fuelling a cub sale industry valued at nearly $1 million per year.
• Lions are frequently moved across borders for unclear purposes, raising concerns over the illegal wildlife trade.

The exploitation of big cats: a global crisis needs a global solution

"Intentional hybridisation, poor living conditions, and lions reduced to photo props for tourists and influencers – these are the dark realities hidden behind social media. The same patterns we’ve fought against in South Africa’s captive lion breeding industry are now repeating elsewhere. This is a global crisis that demands global resolve," adds Amoroso.

FOUR PAWS continues to campaign for an end to the commercial trade, breeding, and keeping of big cats and their parts across the globe. In South Africa, the government’s 2021 decision to phase out captive lion breeding marked a milestone, but with big cat trade shifting across borders, sustained pressure and international cooperation are vital.

FOUR PAWS calls for Thailand to implement and enforce stronger legislation that prohibits the commercial breeding and exploitation of lions, and for all countries to work together to dismantle the global commercial trade in big cats.

“Without action, we are complicit in a system that commodifies cruelty. South Africa is still grappling with the complex, painful task of closing down a captive lion industry that spiralled out of control, an industry that left behind thousands of lions and decades of damage. We do not want Thailand to face the same fate. The time to act is now, before the situation becomes as entrenched and difficult to undo as it has been in South Africa,” highlights Amoroso.

White lions – a rare mutation with significant medical conditions

With the high frequency of white lion cubs being born, a cruel “trend” is shaping the local and international taste in how a “special” big cat should look like. The white coat of so-called “white lions” is not a feature representing a separate lion species but a rare and recessive mutation that can hardly be found in the wilderness.

Unfortunately, it is more common to find “white lions” in captivity, where their medical condition is turned into high profits for breeders and traders. Inbreeding increases the chances of white offspring while the animals develop severe health problems and suffer long-term health consequences like kidney disease. Aesthetic preferences for humans lead to lifelong suffering for animals.

FOUR PAWS urges the public to #TravelKind and for Governments to #BreakTheViciousCycle and support efforts to end big cat exploitation worldwide.

For more information, please visit https://www.four-paws.org/