Death of Zimbabwe’s Best-Loved Lion Ignites Debate on Sport Hunting

[Vevew]

This news has been published by many sources:
http://voices.nationalgeographic.co...t-loved-lion-ignites-debate-on-sport-hunting/

In short:
Zimbabwe’s most well-known and much-photographed black-maned lion, named Cecil, was killed by sport hunters just outside the nation’s premier wildlife park, Hwange, last week.

Conservationists are concerned, saying that “hunting predators on the boundaries of national parks such as Hwange causes significant disturbance and knock-on effects” such as infanticide when new males entered the prides.

A source familiar with the situation, who wishes to remain unnamed, says big cats may be lured out of protected areas into hunting concessions with bait.

The lion did not die immediately to the bow and arrow; it took two days to track the lion and finish him off with a rifle. The big cat was wearing a GPS-collar installed by a team of researchers in Hwange National Park.

There were other irregularities in the hunt which are being investigated.” He says such examples include the fact that “in the Gwaai Conservancy no lion hunting quota was issued for 2015” and that the GPS collar we had fitted on the lion was destroyed by the hunters.

 

[BRICKBURN]

"Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association
July 13 at 8:51am ·


Cecil the Hwange Lion.
It is with regret that we have to inform the public that Cecil the Lion, an Iconic figure to the Photographic sector, lodges in Hwange, guides in Hwange and general public that have met him in the past 13 years in Hwange was recently killed outside the park on private land on a safari. One of the PH's on the Hunting permit is a member of ZPHGA. There is an investigation ongoing at this time. We are awaiting all relevant documentation for verification. Until such time as the investigation is complete we ask that members and non members, refrain from speculating until all facts have been documented. This is both on the legal aspect and the ethical aspect. We do not know all the facts yet.
Chairman ZPHGA"

 

[slad68]

Thanks Brickburn. Its a good point. Thanks for posting I sure hope in future just as now, we will all wait till all the facts are on the table before lifting opinions and not just speculate over something.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

@Vevew, I'm curious, are you a hunter yourself?

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

@Vevew, where are you from?

 

[Philip Glass]

Looks like he was not afraid of people. Good thing he is dead and not a threat of becoming a man eater in his older years.
Regards,
Philip

 

[spike.t]

Looks like he was not afraid of people. Good thing he is dead and not a threat of becoming a man eater in his older years.
Regards,
Philip

so phillip are you saying all lions in nat parks that are used to vehicles etc should be killed , or only after a certain age?......

 

[sestoppelman]

Didn't take long for this thread to get a little weird.

 

[Bsums]

so phillip are you saying all lions in nat parks that are used to vehicles etc should be killed , or only after a certain age?......

We've just seen it happen before with lions used to humans getting old and start to struggle to hunt game. Decide to try to eat someone.

 

[siml]

I will agree with @BRICKBURN , no comment until we know the real facts. One point, which is irrelevant about what happened, if I look at the lion, he seems very much in good shape and would easy be able to feed/fend for himself.

 

[slad68]

I really can't see what the huge boo_haa is about. We should certainly wait for the facts but if the hunt was in a registered and legal concession with a legal permit there should not be a problem. One can certainly not send a letter of notice to all the lions who may and may not feed on your bait.

The same scenario has happened with Leopards in the Soutpansberg mountains as well.

 

[Vevew]

@Vevew, where are you from?

Northern Europe.

@Vevew, I'm curious, are you a hunter yourself?

Not a hunter, but someone who wants to understand how hunting works in Africa.

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

I think the same as BRICKBURN.
Witold

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

I really can't see what the huge boo_haa is about. We should certainly wait for the facts but if the hunt was in a registered and legal concession with a legal permit there should not be a problem. One can certainly not send a letter of notice to all the lions who may and may not feed on your bait.

The same scenario has happened with Leopards in the Soutpansberg mountains as well.

I must agree.....it not only happens in SA, but here in the states as well, and with all species. Elk & mule deer migrate out of Yellowstone NP every year, and are legally taken during hunts in the fall. I'm sure that a boat load of plains game species have done the same thing in Africa and nobody has batted an eye at that.

But let a wolf get shot outside Yellowstone, and all hell breaks loose................why? Because it is STUPID to reintroduce a species without some form of control (hunting, relocation, or whatever) when that species overpopulates and becomes a nuisance or a threat. People make a living as hunting guides outside of yellowstone, yet I know of a few that have sold out or restricted their business because the wolves have decimated certain populations (i.e.moose) outside of the park that they were supposedly "contained" in!!! Animal rights morons just don't understand that unless you put up a fence, animals will go where they want to go.......we have a big problem with wolves in the U.P of Michigan; deer numbers are now so low that bow hunters will be restricted to bucks only this year for the first time in ......FOREVER!!! The antihunters say "good, the wolves are doing their job!". That's fine, but it's not only been wolves, but hard winters that have significantly decreased the deer population.....and what happens when animals that have no fear of man (because they have never been hunted) no longer have a natural food source?? They find one.....in the form of livestock. It's already happened; family listened in horror as a wolve chased their labrador puppy under their trailer and killed and ate it while they were inside listening to the carnage.......I kinda wish all the wolf lovers downstate could have experienced that one first hand; might have opened their eyes as to what wolves truly are.......apex predators that wont hesitate to take advantage of an opportunity and not some cute, fuzzy dog-like Disney critter.

So now a lion, that has been anthropomorphized ("gee.....let's call him "Cecil"; ain't he cute!!!) has wandered off park boundries and was shot...........I wonder if there is an "opportunity" here for the antis.(yah think?). Poor Cecil..........he and his "brethern" that are caged in SA are about to go extinct!!! WE MUST BAN ALL LION HUNTING!!!! (Gee, antis..........hows about just banning all "lying" instead?) In no instance did an animal that was sport hunted ever go extinct; it's only after you guys "protect" them that their numbers drop dangerously low...........just look at the elephants in countries that have banned hunting to protect elephants from "poachers".....their numbers are practically none existent (as poaching goes on anyway), and those countries/areas that allow hunting? The numbers are thriving.......

But lets not let any facts cloud the issue.....................let's just act out of raw emotion!!! Because we've all seen how well that works out in the past (for just about everything)

If the lion was taken illegally, then charge and prosecute............otherwise, shut up about it. I'm sure that Kruger has more lions to go around for the photographers.......

 

[broncolcj]

I started reading this post loaded for bear, ready to chastise the ignorance of antis once again.
But if there was no legal quota for the the area and the collar was destroyed as well then that is a problem. We have enough troubles already. Sure don't need poachers passing themselves off as safari outfits making it worse.

The bit about "Ignites Debate on Sport Hunting" is utter garbage though.

 

[Divernhunter]

There may be a silver lining to this cloud. IF it was legally taken the hunter will have a name to put on the mounts plaque when he has it mounted.

 

[Vevew]

What strikes me the most is this bit in the article:

From 1999 they (Wildlife Conservation Research Unit at Oxford University) began an ongoing ecological study of African lions in Hwange to measure the impact of sport-hunting beyond the park on the lion population within the park, using radio-telemetry and direct observation.

The research found that 34 of 62 tagged lions died during the study period; 24 were shot by sport hunters. Sport hunters in the safari areas surrounding the park killed 72 percent of tagged adult males from the study area. This caused a decline in numbers of adult males in the population.​

The article didn't mention if they tagged only male lions. Is the park so small that the adult males have to wander outside the park, or are the hunters systematically luring the lions out of the protected area? Those numbers (72% of adult males are shot) don't seem very healthy, and will surely affect the pride structures. Is this sustainable?

 

[african lion]

Doesn't sound very sustainable ...check the latest news out...


An update on the killing of Cecil, the famed Hwange lion.

The PH, Theo Bronkhurst, and the concession “owner”, one Honest Mpofu, were arrested and appeared in Hwange Magistrate court on the charge of illegally killing a lion. According to sources, there was no permit for lion on their hunt, and the concession area (Antionette) does not have any lion on quota. They have been remanded out of custody until August 6th. so Parks can continue their investigations.
Cecil was shot at night, no doubt after being blinded with a spotlight, undoubtedly over a bait which would have been dragged along the Parks boundary (supposedly for a leopard!) - indicative of the poor ethics and the poor quality hunter that we see too often these days. Undoubtedly, the PH intended to do a “quota transfer” where Cecil would have been recorded as shot in another area which had a quota and permit – the satellite collar blew the plan ( although Bronkhurst apparently tried to destroy the collar and all evidence of the dead Cecil). Had this lion not been collared, Bronkhurst probably would have got away with this crime, and I very much doubt this is the first dodgy episode in his hunting career.
Lets hope that corruption does not prevail and the full force of the law falls on both these characters – we do not need these types operating in Zimbabwe.
I will keep posts up when the trial commences in Hwange Magistrates court.

 

[BRICKBURN]

............ ...check the latest news out...
An update on the killing of Cecil, the famed Hwange lion. .........

What is the source of this information?

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Looking at profile history, methinks I smell a couple of trolls..................... One member has been here since 2012 and has 3 posts in 3 years, the other has supposedly been a member since 2013, and all his posts have been in re: 'canned' lion hunting.
I responded, but after looking at their profiles, I don't think they are here to "understand" anything. My personal feeling is that they are antis who are looking for info that they can warp to their benefit...........I think it's more of a phishing expedition than "Not a hunter, but someone who wants to understand how hunting works in Africa."

I call "bullshit"!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone agree or disagree?