Cuddle me, Kill me: From Bottle To Bullet - A True Account of South Africa's Captive Lion Industry

Richard Peirce, veteran campaigner against shark abuse, tackles another controversy in this new book, that of lion breeding and canned hunting – a huge and growing industry. Cubs are often taken from their mothers when only days old to promote repeat breeding, and are sold into the petting industry. When they grow too big for petting, many are sent to tourist attractions where ‘walking with lions’ is offered; when they outgrow this use they are at the end of the lion production line and are executed in small enclosures by canned hunters, or simply shot by lion breeders for the value of their carcass – up to R100,000 (approximately $8,500 USD).

This book tells the true stories of two male lions, Obi and Oliver, rescued from breeding farms. An investigatory road trip by the author uncovered horrifying facts about the industry, resulting in this evocative, disturbing and moving plea to end commercial captive lion breeding, and to help sway the next CITES meeting into banning the trade in all lion products without exemptions. Fast-paced and well researched, the book is richly illustrated with photos taken along the way.

Richard Peirce is best known as a shark conservationist – his main focus for over 20 years. Chairman of the Shark Conservation Society and the Shark Trust, he has authored several books on the topic. Richard and his wife Jacqui are confirmed nomads who spend half the year inSouth Africa; their love of wildlife takes them to the bush at every opportunity.