American Hunter Paid $55K To Brutally Kill Zimbabwe’s Iconic Lion Cecil

Zimbabwe’s lion Cecil, one of the most famous big cats in Africa was killed by a American tourist on July 6th according to local authorities. The 13-year-old animal was found beheaded and skinned outside the grounds of Hwange National Park. It’s believed the hunter paid a tour guide approximately 55 thousand dollars for the opportunity to do so. The lion had been previously outfitted with a GPS tag by researchers at Oxford University, which allowed investigators to trace his final movements. The lion was lured out of the park grounds, a tactic often employed by those seeking to hunt protected animals "legally." Once outside Hwange’s boundaries, the lion was shot with a crossbow, trailed for about 40 hours, and killed with a firearm. The head of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force reports that in the time since the slaying, “The two people who accompanied the hunter have been arrested but we haven’t yet tracked down the hunter...” He told CNN that the animal’s head and skin have been confiscated and are being kept for evidence. The tour guide said to have taken the money was arrested and is scheduled to appear in court on August 6th.

2015-07-29T16:33:34+00:00
Duration: 01:07