Animal welfare and culling: A legal analysis of South African biodiversity law

Abstract

South Africa lacks an effective wildlife welfare regulatory framework. Biodiversity legislation focuses on the conservation and sustainable of natural resources use under the auspices of section 24 of the Constitution. The legislation however does not expressly promote animal welfare. This lacuna is as a result of the anthropocentric nature of the regulatory framework in the approach towards the conservation and use of biodiversity. Conservation has been understood in South Africa from an anthropocentric view which allows for the culling of wildlife.