HSBC destroys wildlife!

HSBC flies in the face of environmental respect! This is due to their disgusting decision to use captive cheetahs in the photo shoot for this weekend's 7s rugby tournament. Despite global opposition to and hard work against wild animal interaction, the clearly misinformed bigwigs of HSBC thought this catastrophe in order!

Animal rights group Blood Lions posted the following (credit to their reporter:) NEWS: HSBC Cape Town 7s include two captive cheetahs in their 7s Rugby Captains' Photoshoot.

Less than 6 weeks after the release of SATSA - Official's Animal Interaction Guidelines, concerning photographs of the HSBC 7s rugby team captains posing at the stadium with cheetahs have gone viral.

According to the SATSA Animal Interaction Guide, “wildlife tourism is the bedrock of Southern Africa’s tourism industry” and the practice of keeping “animals in captivity for human enjoyment is not investing in the long-term unique selling point of Africa” as a wild and authentic natural tourism destination.

In order for an animal, like a cheetah, to be touched by humans, “they would need to be trained and handled” which in itself is an unnatural activity for a predator.

Blood Lions and our 191 Born to Live Wild partners are committed to securing the survival of South Africa’s predators in the wild by supporting and promoting South Africa as an authentic, wild and ethical tourism destination.