Say NO to petting lion cubs

Did you know that lion cubs are taken from their mothers at a very young age to be raised as to entertain tourists ? Yes and when they are too big or unmanageable they are then used as fodder for canned hunting. It's barbaric and cruel and one of the most graphic examples of animal exploitation I know of. Many tourists are probably unaware of the terrible fate of these lions but if they did would they still want to pet or walk with one ? I wouldn't and we shouldn't be fooled into thinking it's harmless because it isn't. Lions are facing a battle to survive against so many forces such as habitat loss and trophy hunting that as a species they could be extinct in our lifetime. Instead of continuing to exploit these magnificent creatures we should be doing everything we can do to help them survive in the wild where they belong. If you are going to Africa don't engage in these 'encounters' with lions or in fact any wild animal. Go on safari into their habitat because you will learn far more about them than walking with them or petting them in a captive situation where they never get the chance to be lions.