The Killing of Cecil the Lion - How the Internet Reacted


The lion pictured in the video above was named Cecil, and was considered a national treasure in Zimbabwe. He lived n Zimbabwe's Hwange's National Park. The majestic lion was lured out of the park, shot with a crossbow, tracked for 40 more hours, then finished of with a gun.

An American dentist named James Palmer have enraged the internet by paying $55,000 to brutally kill "one of Africa's most famous lions and the star attraction at the Hwange national park", as The Guardian describes him.[1]

Cecil was killed in early July according to Johnny Rodrigues, head of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. According to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, two locals are facing charges for assisting in Cecil's killing: a hunter identified as Theo Bronkhorst and a local farmer identified as Honest Trymore Ndlovu.

Zimbabwean authorities are looking for the Minnesota dentist involved in the hunt and responsible for the killing. Palmer's whereabouts are currently unknown. Palmer has stated that he though his trip was legal and wasn't aware of the animal's status "until the end of the hunt".[2][3]

"I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt."

James Palmer, dentist and hunter who killed Cecil the Lion, released a statement through a public-relations firm[4]

Outrage

The internet has responded angrily to Palmer's horrid actions. According to a local reporter in Minnesota, Palmer's dental office is completely shut at the moment. Palmer's name have quickly become a Twitter sensation with people issuing death threats, sharing photos from Palmer's previous hunts and kills along with overrunning his dental practise Yelp and Facebook pages. [5][6]

Celeberties join in to condemn the killing

Everyone from English comedian, Ricky Gervais, to American television host, Jimmy Kimmel, to the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, have joined the choir, speaking against poaching and the killing of endangered animals.




Petition for "justice" for Cecil the Lion, already signed by more than 300,000 people

The Killing of Cecil the Lion - How the Internet Reacted 2

Cecil the Lion, international profile, beloved symbol and leader of two prides

Cecil the Lion was a particularly high-profile lion. He was the leading attraction for Hwange National Park and beloved in Zimbabwe for his distinctive black mane. In addition, Cecil was part of an Oxford University study on lion conservation in Zimbabwe. The most depressing part of the killing is the fact that Cecil led two prides, totalling six lionesses and 12 cubs, along with another male, Jericho. Without Cecil, the family faces some serious dangers, as male lions are tasked with protecting the prides from other lions.[7]

"The saddest part of all is that now that Cecil is dead, the next lion in the hierarchy, Jericho, will most likely kill all Cecil’s cubs."

Johnny Rodrigues, head of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force[7]

Sources:

[1] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/28/killer-of-cecil-the-lion-was-american-zimbabwe-officials-claim
[2] http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/27/africa/zimbabwe-lion-killed/
[3] http://www.zimparks.org/index.php/mc/210-joint-press-statement-by-zimbabwe-parks-and-wildlife-management-authority-and-safari-operators-association-of-zimbabwe-on-the-illegal-hunt-of-a-collared-lion-at-antoinette-farm-hwange-district-on-1-july-2015-in-gwayi-conservancy-by-bushman-safaris-profess
[4] http://www.wsj.com/articles/zimbabwe-seeks-u-s-man-in-connection-with-killing-of-protected-lion-1438106887?mod=e2fb
[5] https://twitter.com/search?q=%22Walter%20Palmer%22&src=tren
[6] http://www.yelp.com/biz/river-bluff-dental-bloomington?sort_by=rating_desc
[7] http://www.vox.com/2015/7/28/9064325/cecil-the-lion

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