Kevin Richardson on seeing the reality of lion breeding

Conservationist and expert Kevin Richardson details how he became interested in lions, and the two animals that opened his eyes to how lions were treated as commodities in the breeding industry. Richardson, known as the Lion Whisperer, had to go against the man who had brought him into the lion business, a wealthy and powerful businessman. Plus, Richardson describes the barriers that exist, both culturally and economically, to protecting lions in captivity.
Want to see more? SUBSCRIBE to watch the latest interviews: bit.ly/1R1Fd6w
Episode debuted nationwide in 2019.
Watch full episodes each week on TV stations across the country. Find the airing time and channel for your city:
www.grahambensi...
Connect with Graham:
FACEBOOK: / grahambensinger
TWITTER: / grahambensinger
INSTAGRAM: / grahambensinger
WEBSITE: www.grahambensi...

[@rachelschwebach7566]

R.I.P. Tau and Napoleon. You are missed. 💕🦁💕Amy, we are all missing you terribly. Rest in peace, my girlie, 💕❤️💕

[@billylilly1251]

Also RIP to Amy.

[@ameliali7556]

Do you happen to know what happened to Bandit? I feel like I haven’t seen him in a long time...did he pass away?🥺

[@helenclarke4735]

@@ameliali7556 Any of the lions that Kevin worked with at the first place except the ones he rescued are probably trophies now.

[@KalinTheZola]

@@helenclarke4735 Sad but true.

[@sharonf106]

Don't forget, sweet Delta.

[@alisonoosthuizen2512]

We love this man - thank you for interviewing him

[@لبيكياقائمالمحمد-غ4ي]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/noGpqJyoe5xkhbM Watch this videoo and share with your friends in order to rescue the lion in South Africa 🇿🇦

[@sergiosaunier]

The Meg and Amy story is just awesome!

[@treychrs]

thank heavens he went and saved these two.

[@mamavswild]

That story would make a great movie!

[@IndomitableT]

The Real Deal. It is actually in one of his documentaries. If you search for it here on YT, you will probably find it. Enjoy❣️🧐

[@dotdotie]

Kevin briefly talked about Amy & Meg's story of being taken away to breeding farm and how he started being the lion whisperer on his channel, but this is the first time I heard him talked in such great details.

[@helenclarke4735]

You really should read his book "Part of the Pride'. It's about those early years..

[@dotdotie]

@@helenclarke4735 thanks Helen, definitely will look for the book

[@BlackPanther-vk5ew]

Thank you fur your comment. I had no idea Meg & Amy were taken. There's just so much for us to learn. But, most just don't seem to care or have bigger fish to fry, than lions. There are so many horrific abuse going on.....how to pick 10 ....let alone 20? Would take all a person's time, let alone trying to work a real job, family, etc?

[@ivangamer8022]

stop the bone trafic you fucking yellow insectoids

[@WhiskeyShred]

Watching this now, after knowing the life you gave Amy, and still Meg, I’m in awe of you and I’m definitely not crying right now. Love ya man, you’re an inspiration to this world. (The story of how you got Meg and Amy back is absolutely phenomenal)

[@billylilly1251]

rip to Amy

[@ferrumequus88]

What an inspiring and enlightened and thoughtful man Kevin is. If there were such thing as an Nobel prize for the animal kingdom, he definitely would be the first percipient

[@alisonleigh100]

I love that story of Meg and Amy ❤️ Thank God he got them back and gave them the most wonderful life!

[@wtfcheerbows8288]

Rip Amy you’ve done so much

[@kenansinan4676]

Slowly but surely I get addicted to Kevin, his lions, hyenas, leopards, .... ;-)

[@BlackPanther-vk5ew]

This story is simply beautiful!! I wish Kevin would do more videos on stories like this or write more books. Writing one book....just isn't enough!!

[@tammym7940]

I could watch Kevin do interviews all day long! Love his mission and his passion for something that is good and always a challenge. #Amy #Meg

[@jeannenora6113]

Made me cry hearing how these poor lions are kept for cowardly hunters. But at least Meg and Amy now have a loving surrounding.

[@MadiTau79]

I am so SO glad he got them back!

[@KalinTheZola]

I knew part of this story. I'm so happy to hear the rest about how he got Meg and Amy back.

[@dominicward3740]

Very intelligent

[@krisaaron5771]

When the adorable cubs get too big to safely handle and hug, they're sold to canned hunt operations, They live there until they grow big enough to make a reasonable "trophy". That's when they're sold to whatever pitiful failure of a human needs to pretend he's powerful enough to kill a lion. The poor lion, who has learned to trust humans, is turned loose in a small area it can't escape from and is shot over and over by a "brave hunter" until it dies. That's trophy hunting -- no stalking or shooting skills needed. The "guides" (the hunting park's employees) often have to finish the "kill" because the thug with the gun who wants to kill a lion is too incompetent to deliver a clean kill shot. Donald Trump's two worthless sons got their big cat "trophies" this way. They can't track a lion through the African wilderness for days on end and probably aren't good enough shots to make a clean kill -- that takes more work than they seem interested in. It's a terrible, cruel death for animals who had been taught all the lives to trust humans. And it's how many of the cute little lion cubbies will die.

[@ksc743]

Great comment. And Trump Jnr on his way now as we speak to hunt Alaskan grizzly bears. Guess he just enjoys killing magnificent wild animals. How sick do you have to be to do that.

[@PARRISHMELLOTT]

THAT IS THE SADDEST THING IVE EVER HEARD SERIOUSLY IM IN TEARS. PEOPLE SUCK!!!!!!!!

[@ksc743]

Even worse are the "lion breeding farms" in SA where literally hundreds of malnourished lions are kept unnaturally together in large pens of 50 to 100 lions. They are bred purely for their bones, so they are not as well looked after as canned lions. Trophy (canned) lions must at least look slightly nourished when shot so they look good pinned on someone's wall or floor. The lion bones from breeding farms are legally shipped over to China and Vietnam to be made into lion bone wine and used in 'traditional medicines.' The Coronavirus is a warning to all who keep hundreds of different species of live wild animals in small cages so as to eat them. That was never meant to be part of the normal World order. Please write to the South African Environmental minister Barbara Creecey, about how this country treats its lions. The more people who speak up the better.

[@rachelschwebach7566]

Kris Aaron Trophy hunters have no soul. Scenes of canned hunting are disgusting and heartbreaking 💔.

[@krisaaron5771]

@@rachelschwebach7566 That's what got me into working for animal rights and animal liberation -- I couldn't believe the vicious cruelty "humans" inflicted on these magnificent, glorious creatures! Poachers at least have the excuse that they're feeding their families. Trophy "hunters' have absolutely NO justification for what they're doing! I wonder how much it would cost to assemble a team of armed mercenaries in jet helicopters to patrol national parks and privately operated sanctuaries in Africa. Both the trophy hunters and the poachers would soon vanish: "He fell in the river and was eaten by hippos", "Trampled by a giraffe", "A crocodile ate him", "She wandered over to pet a lion and that was the last time we saw her..." "He was taken captive by rebel forces (works great just about anywhere)" and the last but best: "Went native, married a Tumbuka priestess and he's now living in a grass hut with his trance-dancing wife and their six kids. "He says you can keep the house and the Mercedes!" Africa is a big place; a lot of people go missing there and are never found... maybe someone got this idea before I did?

[@a_c555]

Forever gratitude to you Kevin and Megan and Amy... When soul connects everything is possible.. they understood ur soul.. their senses are more acute, active n sharp then ours as we don't know how to sharpen ours n most don't know they have this powers within them but animals are naturally gifted n it's grows in them with time... But Kevin you have, n Megan n Amy connected to that consciousness n vibration of urs through theirs and all ur other wildlife children do the same because u use it for higher purpose n greater good,n even animals understand that under such circumstances... Stay blessed and happy always...

[@Dachdogoriginal]

Greed is an evil thing.

[@NxDoyle]

I think there are still quite a few regular visitors to Kevin's KZbin channel who don't know this interview exists. I'm pretty sure they'd love it. Kevin's the only 'personality' known for working with animals I have respect for, without ambivalence. I wish I could say that about others, the Irwins for example.

[@andrediaz573]

Irwin padre era bastante mercenario con su supuesto "amor por la naturaleza". Tenía el concepto de que la naturaleza es un espectáculo vulgar. Nunca me gustó. Siempre lo sentí poco respetuoso y amante más del dinero que otra cosa. Ahora sus descendientes hacen lo mismo. Comercio. Por eso será que murió a manos de un animal. Farsante el tipo. A Kevin jamás lo he visto en algo así. Y cuando lo ha hecho explicó que mantener el santuario es carísimo. Por tanto a veces debe hacer cosas aparte para tener los medios económicos.

[@SulaimanBah-hx9yw]

We love you kevin

[@sandistroud7305]

This man was sent from above to be the voice of our wild lions.

[@helenapaixao1333]

Um pequeno grande homem meu anjo azul 💙💙🌍

[@samanthaflynn6140]

Kevin's page should be linked in your description.

[@leeholmes9962]

Good for you kevin R great man ✌🇬🇧👍

[@jantoles7637]

Was Kevin once a physical therapist? He mentioned that the guy came to him for rehabilitation. I have never heard Kevin say what he did for work when he first became acquainted with Lions.

[@helenclarke4735]

Yes he was.

[@ivangamer8022]

Kevin still has the tooth of Vaietsy. This man is a lion in human shape

[@SuperJoselink]

Rest In Peace Amy.

[@Kenneth_James]

Let's be real, without Kevin that park wouldn't remain open. People flock there to see him as much as the Lions

[@helenclarke4735]

@sharon curry I think he's talking about Kevin's sanctuary, not the original park.

[@Warbird-Aviation]

What a great interviewer

[@GrahamBensinger]

Thanks! Make sure you've subscribed, we've got a lot of great content coming up! -AD

[@ArleneAdkinsZell]

I wonder if the thumbs down is the guy that bought Meg and Amy for breeding/canned hunting?

[@tinalopez1522]

I was not aware of incident in the us. Is there an article i can read? Ty, tina

[@guyfanno1]

Nothing to do with Kevin.

[@jobond3317]

Of course, my story is nothing like yours. Your wild animal. Mine domestic so completely different. My mare went to stud to get in foal. We were called to bring her home as she didn't like the stallion and as they farmed in a herd she used to put him in a corner and wouldn't allow interactions with mares. So natural owner not happy. My mare did not like the farm was waiting at the gate horse float door down just about jumped the gate run into horsefloat. Stamped her hooves much to say ”never mind the halter let's go” places she did like would say goodbye to the owners and graciously walk slowly into the float. Strange but true

[@j9businesstyme]

This is amazing. Thank you

[@jantoles7637]

I just her you say that Kevin was a personal trainer.

[@tarncoleman7854]

Nature will repay our cruelty one day and when that happens God help us all then we will know the fear these defenceless animals feel

[@helenclarke4735]

Maybe the COViD19 pandemic is what you are talking about. We have the stay in our homes, like the lions are kept in cages. No matter how big the enclosure is the lion is caged. And they have to endure this for life.

[@tarncoleman7854]

Helen Clarke l totally agree with you Helen the torture of animals and children keeps me up at night we should pass laws that whatever torture humans inflict on the innocent children animals women and men should be done legally to them l Bet they would think twice if the cowards knew it could be done to them l hope this message finds you and your fam in good health most respect and best wishes Tarn Toronto Canada 🇨🇦

[@treasure2behold282]

He should never compromise the integrity of these animals. These creatures are gift to his livelihood. Lion farms should be banned forever.

[@helenclarke4735]

He doesn't run a lion farm. They breed animals for the tourism industry. He has a sanctuary which those animals can escape from that. And he doesn't breed. He's against captivity says that it makes no sense at all, so he is trying to buy land to be rehabilitated and given back to lions in the wild. Lions suffer from habitat loss on top of everything else. The captive lions have no place to go even if they were released into the wild.

[@sharonf106]

His sanctuary is not a lion farm. All his animals are ones that he raised since they were babies, and that he has built relationships with through the years. There is no petting, nor breeding done at the sanctuary. All but eight of the 26 lions are seniors. Until they pass naturally, they will continue to be loved and cared for. Just seeing their reactions when they see him, or hear his car brings tears to your eyes. They are truly happy animals. The world needs more Kevin Richardsons.

[@helenapaixao1333]

🍀❤️🌞❤️‍🔥

[@titianmom]

Follow the money...

[@starlabratcherflannigan1798]

Omg 450 lions that is atrocious the worst thing I've heard all year

[@didilv2187]

oh he is a breeder? hmm

[@DarlyFofa]

No, he isn't. He doesn't breed the lions in his sanctuary. He is recounting how he came upon working with lions and later he tells about the park where he used to work.

[@jkjkjkjkjk537]

He isn't. Barely 6 years ago he had nearly 40 lions in his care. Now the number had come down to 29 after Amy passed away. Geroge and Yame were the latest additions and that happened 4 years ago. All his lionesses have surgical contraceptive implants to prevent breeding. Kevin says that when the last lion under his care passes away, the entire sanctuary would be used as a rehab facility for injured wild lions and other animals to nurse them back to health and would be released back into the wild.