Killing of Cecil the lion
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| Species | African lion |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 2002 |
| Died | 1 July 2015 Hwange District, Zimbabwe |
| Owner | Hwange National Park |
| Named after | Cecil Rhodes |
On July 1, 2015, Cecil, a lion that primarily lived in the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, died after being shot by a big game hunter.[1][2] Even before the intense media surrounding his death, Cecil was famous in Zimbabwe.[3] He had been studied by scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Oxford University as part of a scientific project that has run since 1999[4] and his movements had been followed since 2008.[5]
Cecil was named after the British businessman Cecil Rhodes (as was Zimbabwe itself, when it was known as Rhodesia).[6]
Death and reaction
In July 2015, an American dentist is reported to have paid US$50,000 (£32,000) to a professional hunter to enable him to kill a lion.[7] Cecil was allegedly lured off the protected park site, wounded with a crossbow[8], stalked for 40 hours, and then finally shot.[7] Cecil was then skinned and his head was removed.[7]
According to the conservationists, Cecil was wearing a GPS collar to track his movements. Cecil's death created an outrage among animal conservationists, prompted responses from politicians[9] and many other people.[10] The hunter being subjected to a flood of hate messages.[11]
According to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, the hunt was illegal.[12][13] Two Zimbabweans were arrested by Zimbabwe police and accused of assisting the American dentist in the killing.[14] The two appeared in court at Victoria Falls and were charged with poaching offences for not having the required hunting permit. Both men were granted bail at US$1,000 each and have been ordered to appear back in court on August 5th.[7]
The dentist, Walter James Palmer of Eden Prairie, Minnesota had returned to the United States. Palmer has a previous conviction for illegally killing a bear in Wisconsin and lying to Wildlife officials.[15]
The death of Cecil sparked a discussion among conservation organizations about a proposal for a bill banning imports of lion trophies to the US.[16] discussion about ethics and business of big game hunting,[17][18] global media and social media reaction has resulted in more than 265,000 people signing online petition "Justice for Cecil", which calls on Zimbabwe's government to stop issuing hunting permits for endangered animals.[7] According to the IUCN Red List, lions are listed as "vulnerable."
See also
References
- ^ Statement in first 10 secs of the video news report "Cecil the lion: US hunter 'regrets' killing". BBC. July 29, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ "Zimbabwe's 'iconic' lion Cecil killed by hunter". BBC News.
- ^ Alexander, Harriet. "Cecil the lion's killer revealed as American dentist". Telegraph. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ Mornadin, C.; Loveridge, A.J.; Segelbacher, G. (June 2014). "Gene flow and immigration: genetic diversity and population structure of lions (Panthera leo) in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe". Conservation Genetics: 697–706. doi:10.1007/s10592-014-0571-6.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ "Cecil and the conservation of lions". Oxford University. 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
- ^ "Cecil the Lion: What Could Happen to Walter James Palmer and Hunters?".
- ^ a b c d e "Cecil the lion: Zimbabwe hunter bailed over killing". BBC News.
- ^ http://www.ocregister.com/articles/palmer-674504-lion-tuesday.html
- ^ "Politicians Speak Out On The Death Of Cecil The Lion". cbslocal.com.
- ^ "US Man Accused in African Lion Death Thought Hunt Was Legal". The New York Times. AP. July 28, 2015.
- ^ Eliana Dockterman (29 July 2015). "Cecil the Lion: Dentist Who Shot Lion Writes Letter to Patients". Time. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ Howard, Brian Clark; 28, National Geographic PUBLISHED July. "Killing of Cecil the Lion Sparks Debate Over Trophy Hunts". National Geographic News. Retrieved 2015-07-28.
{{cite web}}:|last2=has numeric name (help) - ^ Ashifa Kassam. "Killer of Cecil the lion was dentist from Minnesota, claim Zimbabwe officials". the Guardian.
- ^ Jethro Mullen and Don Melvin (July 29, 2015). "Two Zimbabweans granted bail in death of Cecil the lion - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ Jon Collins. "MN dentist kills beloved lion". Minnesota Public Radio.
- ^ Mahita Gajanan. "Cecil the lion's death prompts calls to ban trophy hunt imports to US". the Guardian.
- ^ Lindsey Bever (29 July 2015). "The death of Cecil the lion and the big business of big game trophy hunting". Washington Post.
- ^ "One Point Of View On How Lions Can Earn Money For Africa". NPR.org. 29 July 2015.
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