Australian tourists are taking part in a vicious animal entertainment cycle unaware lion cubs appearing in their holiday selfies may be the same animals later shot by trophy hunters, animal activists say.

World Animal Protection (WAP) has launched a report entitled Breeding Cruelty: How Tourism Is Killing Africa’s Lions in line with Monday’s World Lion Day, outlining the cycle of cruelty lions experience.

Head of campaigns Nicola Beynon said the cycle included lions being used as props for tourist photos, being forced to walk with tourists and finally being sold into the canned trophy hunting industry.

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“The whole industry around animal entertainment is really exploiting people’s love for animals and exploiting the animals right across their lifetime,” she said.

She said the lions were farmed and cubs as young as one week old were distressingly separated from their mothers.

They are then forced into a facility where tourists “manhandle” the cubs and use them for “endless” photo opportunities, she said.

“What people don’t see so much is the way the lions get kept in barren cages, with not much shade and their diets are very poor. There is poor veterinary care,” Ms Beynon said.

When old enough, the animals partake in “walking with lions” tours.

Once they become too big and dangerous to be around tourists, they are sold back to the farms to be introduced into canned hunting facilities or euthanased.

“Canned hunting is where (the lions are) released into enclosure and it’s very easy for the hunter to kill them. They don’t stand a chance,” Ms Beynon said.

Tourists are able to interact with lion cubs in a facility in Southern Africa. Photo: World Animal Protection

Even after death the exploitation does not end. Their body parts can be sold on into the wildlife trade in Asia for use in traditional medicine.

Ms Beynon said many tourists were unaware they were partaking in such cruel practices.

“It is entirely credible that the lion cubs from your holiday ‘selfie’ may become the same animals that are later shot by trophy hunters,” she said.

“Certainly we are seeing the exploitation of animals for our entertainment is increasing and the selfie phenomenon is one driver of that.”

Last month an American dentist came under fierce criticism after he was named as the hunter who killed a much-loved Zimbabwean lion called Cecil.

Following Cecil’s death there has been a massive outpouring of grief from around the world.

Ms Beynon said the tragedy could be a catalyst for putting an end to the animal entertainment industry.

“World Animal Protection is telling people if you want to see wild animals, see them in the wild where they belong.”

She said there were tour operators that offered cruelty-free experiences.

“We are talking to tour operators and asking them not to sell elephant rides or lion walking tours. Some operators are starting to come on board with that.”

People can pledge their support for the movement at the WAP website.

– ABC