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Wanted for Bones

The declining African lion population faces a significant threat from the illegal trade of their bones, claws and teeth.

Lions are easy to spot. Drive through the stunning savannahs of the Maasai Mara or Serengeti, and there they are — the most photographed big cat on the planet.

So, if they’re so visible, they must be thriving... right?

Sadly, that’s far from the truth.

African lions are not thriving in the wild. In fact, their populations are under increasing pressure — with an estimated population decline of a staggering 25% in only 12 years (IUCN 2023).

Over the past few decades, the lion population in the wild has seen a downward trend. The threats are complex, intertwined and accelerating.

Trade of Lion Parts - The Supply

From shrinking habitat and decline in prey, to conflict with people and climate change, the African lion population is struggling throughout its range. Further adding to this stress is the increasing demand for lion bones, claws, teeth and fat. 

The demand for lion parts and derivatives has complex drivers, and the parts are used in multiple ways all over the world. They are ingredients in traditional medicine practices in both Africa and Asia, and are believed to have magical healing properties. They are utilized in ceremonies or are ornaments to depict social status. These parts are now also a substitute for tiger parts after increasingly stringent international controls over trade of tiger bones, which has significantly increased the demand for lions. 

Trade is primarily driven by economic incentives and is further fueled by the growing conflict between lions and local communities.

The story of conflict between people and big cats is the same across the world — human settlements are expanding into once undisturbed natural habitats, infrastructure is growing, and prey populations are declining. As a result, big cats are increasingly coming into contact with people, increasingly resorting to preying on livestock to survive. In the case of lions, conflict with people is another major threat, and people can kill them in retaliation for lost livestock - or sometimes even to protect themselves. But oftentimes when lions are killed in conflict, their body parts are sold in the market for economic benefits - indirectly contributing to trade. 

Further complicating this trade is the fact that in some African countries, such as South Africa, it was legal until recently, to trade parts of lions bred in farms. This has further stimulated demand, particularly from  Asian markets. With little regulation, the part of lions sourced from the wild are likely to be part of the trade circuit.

 

The Demand

There is global demand for lion parts and the uses range from ornamental to medicinal. 

In Asian markets, lion bones are used as a substitute for tiger bones in traditional medicine, with exports reaching countries such as China, Vietnam, and Laos. Products like lion bone wine are marketed as health tonics with supposed medicinal properties, filling the gap left by the declining availability of tiger parts. Lions are listed under CITES Appendix II, which permits regulated international trade—unlike tigers, which are under Appendix I. This has made lions more accessible, and their bones are often passed off as tiger bones to the untrained eye, fetching high prices in the market.

There is also a significant domestic market for lion parts within Africa, with distinct regional preferences. For example, according to a recent TRAFFIC study, in northern Tanzania, the skin, tail, and fat are most in demand; in central Tanzania, fat, claws, and skin are sought after; and in the south, fat is predominantly used. Countries like Mozambique are also key contributors to the international lion parts trade.

Globally, lion skins and body parts are highly prized for ornamental purposes and trophy displays—a major driver of both legal and illegal trade.

As with other forms of wildlife trafficking, the trade in lion parts is facilitated by organized networks that operate from source to end-market, feeding a complex and persistent global demand.

WWF and its partners are working to conserve lions by addressing threats across multiple regions and at various levels. Dismantling trade is an important link to saving lions in the wild. This includes strengthening enforcement, prosecutions and intelligence networks to ensure that the offenders are penalized appropriately.

Understanding the demand better can help design campaigns, targeting behaviour change in consumers. These efforts have proven to successfully curb the trade of other species, including marine turtles and elephant ivory. 

Lastly, the supply and demand countries will need to work together. This will include building stronger political will, capacitation of relevant agencies to recognize the trade, and keeping the right legal frameworks in place to tackle the trade.