The Department and/or government authority responsible and accountable for overseeing and verifying that the lion bone skeletons exported each year does not exceed the set quota is the Department of Environmental Affairs. Prorvincial authorities discharge their specific functions associated with permit issuing for exporters.
(a) The verification is conducted throughout the value chain process starting from the details required from the applicant, the pre-permit inspection by the provincial authorities, and finally at the port of exit where the permits are endorsed by the Environmental Management Inspectors.
(b) The process is as follows:
(c) The total number of endorsed permits at OR Tambo since January 2017 is 208 skeletons and 113 lion bones. These bones and skeletons are exported for various purposes, including but not limited to, trophy hunting, personal, education and commercial activities. The weighing at the port of exit was not a legal requirement during the first semester of 2017, but this requirement will now apply to future shipments. It must be noted that, weighing of the skeletons happens in the provinces and the weight appears on the addendum of the issued permits. Copies of the addenda are kept by the Provincial authorities and can be requested.
(d) The total quota of 800 skeletons, with or without the skull, for 2017 has been allocated to various applicants in the Provinces for export. The quota as per allocation has been reached for the year. No export of lion bone over-quota is allowed.
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