Shocking Rise in Farmed and Captive Lions in Thailand Sparks Urgent Call for Government Action

30 May 2025
Wildlife Trade

A new report co-authored by Edwin Wiek and Tom Taylor of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) reveals that the number of captive lions in facilities – including private homes, businesses (such as lion/petting cafés), breeding farms, and zoos – has more than tripled over seven years, raising grave concerns for animal welfare, conservation, and public safety.

Read the full report

A new research paper published in the journal Discover Conservation has highlighted the dramatic surge in the number of captive lions in Thailand, with the total population rising from 131 individuals in 2018 to 444 in 2024 — a 239% increase. The authors, comprising researchers from the UK and Thailand, warn this explosive growth, driven by demand for exotic pets, entertainment, and the likely trade in lion body parts, exposes dangerous gaps in Thai legislation and enforcement, leaving animals, people, and biodiversity at risk.

The research, which tracked the trade and ownership of lions across licensed and unlicensed zoos, breeding farms, and private homes/businesses over a seven-year period, paints a disturbing picture of the booming lion industry in Thailand.

Key findings from the report include:

A 1300% increase in the number of private homes keeping lions, rising from just 2 in 2018 to 28 in 2024
A total of 848 lions and 32 hybrids (cross-bred lions and tigers) were recorded in captivity during the study period
Lions are often being cycled through a network of facilities – used as photo props as cubs, then for breeding, and in some cases rented out for private events or returned to farms in “buy-back” schemes when they become too large or dangerous for direct contact with the public
A white lioness bred for cub production could be worth up to US$600,000 in her lifetime
White lions made up 45% of all lion births – bred intensively due to their high market value
Lion-tiger hybrids are not covered under Thai domestic wildlife laws despite their size and danger. Their legal exemption creates a loophole ripe for breeding and exploitation

“The true number of lions that have been kept in Thailand over this period is certainly higher”, said senior author Professor Vincent Nijman, an expert in global wildlife trade at Oxford Brookes University in the UK, “346 lions couldn’t be verified as alive one year after first sighting – and it is not possible to determine whether these animals are genuinely missing, have been transferred without proper documentation, or have died”. This lack of traceability highlights a critical gap in enforcement and underscores the urgent need for a national database and tighter movement controls.

“These findings expose a mounting animal welfare, public safety and ethical crisis,” said coauthor Edwin Wiek, founder and director of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand. “The lack of adequate oversight, the commercialisation of exotic wildlife, and the use of lions in inappropriate public settings put both animals and the public in serious danger. Thailand’s laws must catch up with the scale of this problem.”

The paper highlights that licensing requirements for lions in Thailand are minimal, hybrids are unregulated, and lion cubs can still be sold before they are even legally registered. The authors make a number of recommendations, especially focusing on legislative changes. “Without these legislative changes the captive lion population in Thailand runs the risk of spiralling out of control” said Prof Nijman.

At a minimum, the report urges the Thai government to:

Ban private ownership of lions and hybrids;
Prohibit all breeding of lions outside licensed zoos;
Ban animal-visitor interactions involving lions and cubs;
Create a national, transparent database of all big cats in captivity;
Strictly regulate and enforce licensing and transport of lions;
Mandate welfare standards that follow international guidelines for keeping lions;
Set a maximum number of animals that a facility can keep at any one time.

Changes must be made to safeguard animal welfare, conservation, and public safety. Without reforms, Thailand risks becoming an even bigger hub for unethical and unsafe big cat breeding and trading – feeding international markets and perpetuating suffering under the guise of exotic entertainment.

Read the Full Report
The peer-reviewed paper is now available in the journal Discover Conservation.
Title: Increase in the number of captive lions in Thailand suggests ineffective legislation.
Authors: Anna Fourage, Tom Taylor, Edwin Wiek & Vincent Nijman
Published: 27 May 2025
Link: Increase in the number of captive lions in Thailand suggests ineffective legislation | Discover Conservation

For press enquiries, email info@wfft.org