By . Mail Foreign Service . PUBLISHED: . 14:43 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:36 EST, 10 January 2013 . Zambia has banned the hunting of lions and other endangered wild cats because of the dwindling number of big cats. The country’s tourism minister said there is more value in game viewing tourism than bloodsports. 'Tourists come to Zambia to see the lion and if we lose the lion we will be killing our tourism industry,' Sylvia Masebo said. Ban: Zambia has become the latest African country to ban the hunting of lions and other endangered big cats . The estimated £2 million that Zambia earned from safari hunting of all its wild animals annually was too little to merit the continued depletion of Zambia’s wildlife, she said. 'Why should we lose our animals for £2 million a year? The benefits we get from tourist visits are much higher,' she said. The leopard population for the sprawling southern African country is unknown, while lion numbers are not believed to exceed around 4,500. Estimates for Africa’s total lion population vary from around 20,000 to 30,000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Dwindling: Estimates for Africa's total lion population vary from around 20,000 to 30,000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature . Trend: Zambia's decision to ban lion hunting follows a similar move by neigbouring Botswana . The population on the continent is falling in the face of numerous threats, including conflict with livestock farmers and loss of prey and habitat. Zambia’s move follows neighbouring Botswana’s decision to ban all sport hunting from 2014 as it also works to promote itself as a game viewing destination. Wildlife-rich Kenya set this trend when it halted trophy and sport hunting decades ago. Lions and leopards are the feline pair of the so-called 'Big 5' group of dangerous African animals coveted by some trophy hunters. The others are elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo. But there are growing concerns about Africa’s big animals in the face of a surge in poaching of elephants for their ivory and rhino in South Africa for their horns to meet soaring demand from Asian countries. Concern: The population of lions in Africa is falling in the face of numerous threats, including conflict with livestock farmers and loss of prey and habitat .
Tourism minister said there is more value in game viewing than hunting .
Southern African country used to earn £2 million a year from bloodsports .
Move follows similar decision in neighbouring Botswana .
Lion population dwindling across Africa due to various threats .
By . Mail Foreign Service . PUBLISHED: . 14:43 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:36 EST, 10 January 2013 . Zambia has banned the hunting of lions and other endangered wild cats because of the dwindling number of big cats. The country’s tourism minister said there is more value in game viewing tourism than bloodsports. 'Tourists come to Zambia to see the lion and if we lose the lion we will be killing our tourism industry,' Sylvia Masebo said. Ban: Zambia has become the latest African country to ban the hunting of lions and other endangered big cats . The estimated £2 million that Zambia earned from safari hunting of all its wild animals annually was too little to merit the continued depletion of Zambia’s wildlife, she said. 'Why should we lose our animals for £2 million a year? The benefits we get from tourist visits are much higher,' she said. The leopard population for the sprawling southern African country is unknown, while lion numbers are not believed to exceed around 4,500. Estimates for Africa’s total lion population vary from around 20,000 to 30,000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Dwindling: Estimates for Africa's total lion population vary from around 20,000 to 30,000, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature . Trend: Zambia's decision to ban lion hunting follows a similar move by neigbouring Botswana . The population on the continent is falling in the face of numerous threats, including conflict with livestock farmers and loss of prey and habitat. Zambia’s move follows neighbouring Botswana’s decision to ban all sport hunting from 2014 as it also works to promote itself as a game viewing destination. Wildlife-rich Kenya set this trend when it halted trophy and sport hunting decades ago. Lions and leopards are the feline pair of the so-called 'Big 5' group of dangerous African animals coveted by some trophy hunters. The others are elephant, rhino and Cape buffalo. But there are growing concerns about Africa’s big animals in the face of a surge in poaching of elephants for their ivory and rhino in South Africa for their horns to meet soaring demand from Asian countries. Concern: The population of lions in Africa is falling in the face of numerous threats, including conflict with livestock farmers and loss of prey and habitat .
country’s tourism minister said there is more value in game viewing tourism than bloodsports. lose our animals for £2 million a year? The sprawling southern African country is unknown, Zambia's decision to ban lion hunting follows a