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

He didn't have a name.......but , my anti poaching unit will do the best to protect his family ......not just be cyber warriors. View attachment 46127
That dude's hand might wind-up looking like the elephants face. Something...something, first rule of firearm saftey. Rabble, rabble...:D
 
S.W.....My guys know a loaded rifle...
 
That dude's hand might wind-up looking like the elephants face. Something...something, first rule of firearm saftey. Rabble, rabble...:D

I am guessing any guy that runs around in the bush with bare feet probably knows how to handle a rifle. :P Smart Ass:
 
Randy Wakeman, who is an editor on ChuckHawks.com and also has his own website, posted a good, concise article on putting Cecil and Zimbabwe's other problems into perspective

http://randywakeman.com/TimeNottoBeStupidThePeculiarCaseofCeciltheLion.htm

Time Not to Be Stupid: The Peculiar Case of Cecil the Lion

Zimbabwe has a recent history of ecomomic malaise, with an 80% unemployment rate after 2000 and hyperinflation in Zimbabwe was a major problem from about 2003 to April 2009, when the country suspended its own currency. Zimbabwe faced 231 million percent peak hyperinflation in 2008: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...abwe-inflation-hits-231-million-per-cent.html .

The economic meltdown and repressive political measures in Zimbabwe have led to a flood of refugees into neighboring countries. An estimated 3.4 million Zimbabweans, a quarter of the population, had fled abroad by mid-2007. Some 3 million of these have gone to South Africa and Botswana.

World Health Organisation, the life expectancy for men was 56 years and the life expectancy for women was 60 years of age (2012). While the alleged poaching of Cecil the Lion is now a fanboy favorite topic, to no great surprise it is is of minor importance in Zimbabwe, for tourist attractions are considered to be a senseless contrivance of the foreign elite while the country itself has gone through great, multiple hardships.


Reporters Without Borders claims the media environment in Zimbabwe involves "surveillance, threats,imprisonment, censorship, blackmail, abuse of power and denial of justice are all brought to bear to keep firm control over the news." In its 2008 report, Reporters Without Borders ranked the Zimbabwean media as 151st out of 173.The government also bans many foreign broadcasting stations from Zimbabwe, including the CBC, Sky News, Channel 4, American Broadcasting Company,Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and Fox News. News agencies and newspapers from other Western countries and South Africa have also been banned from the country.

There are more pressing issues in Zimbabwe than any tourist attraction: http://country-facts.findthedata.com/compare/1-77/United-States-vs-Zimbabwe . The GDP of Zimbabwe is $953 per person, the homicide death rate is over double per capita of that in the U.S., and 68% of the population is below the poverty line. There is the history of Robert Mugabe that apparently few have knowledge of, or interest in: http://www.biography.com/people/robert-mugabe-9417391 . With the vast majority of residents of Zimbabwe living in poverty, low life expectancy, 18.5 % with internet access, and infant mortality of 88.5 / 1000 births vs. 6.9 / 1000 births in the U.S., small wonder few in Zimbabwe care about any self-righteous internet frenzy . . . about any animal. Who does not comprehend this?

The professional hunter, Mr. Bronkhorst, started his hunting business after being violently evicted from his 1,269-hectare game farm, Southcum, near Kwekwe, in central Zimbabwe, as part of the Mugabe government’s land grab. Poaching is of course not hunting and is a criminal act, no one should need to consult a clever third-grader to discover this. The bigger question is what sick, twisted form of humanity finds a tourist attraction that no one has heard of, much less seen in person, to be of far more value and of far more interest than the lives of the general human population of Zimbabwe itself? Self-anointed pundits enjoy death threats against a dentist, media loves the money they make from selling the story, yet when another human resident of Zimbabwe dies, the silence remains deafening.

In the United States, assertion and accusation is not conviction and justice is not retribution. Justice is, of course, the process or result of using laws to fairly judge and punish crimes and criminals, by being impartial, emotionless, and fair. Death threats and knee-jerk bile spewing is antithetical to the rule of law and the notion of justice. It is a pity that so many have so easily, conveniently, sadly forgotten what brave men and women have long fought died for. Justice serves the accused, not the accusers. The ignorance of this is on every “Justice for Cecil” post ever made. Regardless of the personally distasteful nature of the accusation, to side-step Due Process is nothing any American could ever tolerate. Vigilantism is not remotely justice.

Though the conditions in Zimbabwe were such that about one quarter of the population was forced to flee the country by 2007. When was the last time anyone bothered to make a crude cardboard sign or bumper sticker about that?

--Randy Wakeman
 
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The raw truth is far more sickening than the source of the outrage yet the masses will simply move on to the next popular outrage when the time is right. The bright light of reason is but a candle in the enormity of the ignorance in this case as in so many others.
 
"Never let the truth get in the way of a good story"......said some awesome grandpas & horrible journalist
 
CNN CONFIRMS IT REPORTED LIES AND FALSE REPORTS ABOUT JERICHO, CECIL'S BROTHER.
CNN also disclosed the source of the false reports and lies as coming from Johnny Rodrigues of Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. ZCTF in addition to the false reporting about a hunter poaching Jericho, was also the source to the media of the death of Cecil with initial false reports that Cecil was killed within the Hwange Park.

http://www.cnn.com/…/cecil-the-lion-brother-jericho-illega…/
 
CNN CONFIRMS IT REPORTED LIES AND FALSE REPORTS ABOUT JERICHO, CECIL'S BROTHER.
CNN also disclosed the source of the false reports and lies as coming from Johnny Rodrigues of Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. ZCTF in addition to the false reporting about a hunter poaching Jericho, was also the source to the media of the death of Cecil with initial false reports that Cecil was killed within the Hwange Park.

http://www.cnn.com/…/cecil-the-lion-brother-jericho-illega…/


So is this the 958th or 959th lie he has told about lions to the press this decade?:oops:

You would figure the press would catch on at some point.:whistle:

Only problem, Cecil's 15 minutes of fame have about flamed out and no one will notice the retraction.:rolleyes:
 
IMG-20150804-WA0005.jpg
Nelson Mandela...
 
Well I just read where Beanie Babies will be coming out with CECIL the lion. There has to be more behind this than just social media hype, who or what well financed organizaton could this be. 80 percent of the population do not know who the Vice President of the US is, but I am sure 80 per cent can tell you who Cecil is.
 
Areaonereal Said: "80 percent of the population do not know who the Vice President of the US is, but I am sure 80 per cent can tell you who Cecil is."

It's because people are more interested in gossip than reality and fact.

Talk about Land Claims and farm murders and they turn a blind eye.
Talk about a UFO and every second fool has something to say.

Preach to the unsaved and try to get them saved and then they think you are crazy.
Spread a rumor that the next day will be the end of the world and judgement day, every second fool books into the most expensive Hotel in the world, just to realize the next morning everything is just as it was yesterday.

Reality is that the Human life of today cares nothing for the reality and facts of life. But when it comes to rumors and gossip they all turn in the same direction.
 
There is a post up on the Game Animals Of the Past and Present Facebook page from an unnamed source who claims to be hunting in the camp of the man accused in the Cecil the lion killing and knows what happened and is trying to set the record straight.He backs up Theo Bronkhorsts account and said no bait was used to lure Cecil out of the park. He said there was a dead elephant carcass 2 and 1/2 kilometers outside of the park that a lion was feeding on. They set up a blind and the lion that came in to feed on it was the collared lion. They didn't see the collar and did not know it was Cecil. I couldn't get the link to work to post on here but it is up there on that page.
 
There is a post up on the Game Animals Of the Past and Present Facebook page from an unnamed source who claims to be hunting in the camp of the man accused in the Cecil the lion killing and knows what happened and is trying to set the record straight.He backs up Theo Bronkhorsts account and said no bait was used to lure Cecil out of the park. He said there was a dead elephant carcass 2 and 1/2 kilometers outside of the park that a lion was feeding on. They set up a blind and the lion that came in to feed on it was the collared lion. They didn't see the collar and did not know it was Cecil. I couldn't get the link to work to post on here but it is up there on that page.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=959413187413308&id=281713848516582


Greg Bossert‎ - Game Animals of the Past and Present
Found this post, any thoughts? Sounds legit.

For everyone that is/was "concerned" about the lion situation that has been blown out of proportion by social media. Read up. This is an email that my parents sent me. (They are in Africa right now).

Many of you have read or heard the news of the collared lion that has been shot here in Africa. Greg and I are in Zimbabwe, hunting with clients, at the camp of the very man that is being accused of "slaughtering a protected lion".
I would just like to clarify a few facts. Firstly, yes, the lion was collared but that does not mean protected the hunting concession we are on borders the park-- no fences, no gates, no wires. These animals are free to roam and cross into the areas surrounding the park at will. It is a given that when any animal is out of the designated boundaries of the park and in a hunting concession, it is fair game. Collared animals are shot by hunters once in a while and the law states that nothing has been done illegally, just that the collar is to be returned to the National Parks office.
Secondly, this lion was not lured out of the park by guts being dragged or calls being made. There was an elephant carcass, that died of natural causes, 2 1/2 km out of the parks boundary. The Professional Hunter (PH) and his hunter had seen a lion on the carcass so set up a blind to hunt that evening. The collared lion was the one that came in. No one realized the animal was collared until after it was harvested. The collar was returned to Parks, as is the procedure. It is unfortunate that this lion is a frequently photographed one in the parks as I believe that is why it has made national news. That, and the fact that it has a name..... Cecil.
Theo Bronkhorst has been threatened and dragged over the coals on this one. His family is being harassed and the Facebook comments have been horrendous. One in particular. "let me guess...this fed a village".
Here's where I'd like to explain something. Feeding the village is a phrase that is always taken in the literal sense. Yes, the meat of any animal is shared with the people but it's more than that. Here's how it works.
Every hunting concession has a native game scout appointed. This scout must accompany the PH and his hunters to be sure that nothing is shot that is not on quota.....quota meaning that only so many of one species can be taken during the year. This is recorded very officially in a ledger. Every animal has a trophy fee. This is divided up to the outfitter, the village and the government. The village gets their share of the meat. Now this is where Theo makes a difference. With the money, he has helped the people dig wells, pipe water and supplied tanks to their houses so they don't have to walk long distances to carry it. They have larger gardens now because of it, not to mention running water. He has built schools. He's helped put in solar panels so they have power. I have seen satellite dishes on some homes so I know they have tv. It is all this that is included in the phrase ' feed the village'.
I believe so many people do not understand hunting. They only see killing. Without hunting there is no conservation. Theo and his family are conservationists. They are not poachers. Everything done in the taking of this lion was done with professionalism. The hunter was legally licensed, the outfitter/PH, Theo, was licensed to legally hunt in that area.
It is disgusting to me how there is so much to-do about this one lion but nothing is said about the man who was killed just 2 nights ago by an elephant in the village of the scout who rides in the truck with us everyday. A human life was taken and it is not mentioned. We should be more concerned about Masugo and his family than Cecil. It is unfair that no one feels sorry for Masugo....nor for the hunter and PH that have been falsely accused of a crime they did not commit.
Please share this with as many people as you can so the real story also gets revealed. It surprises us that organizations like Dallas Club and Safari Club International (SCI), who's slogan is 'first for hunters', have not become involved to investigate and stand behind a fellow hunter. Let us all, as hunters, stand together.
 
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Not sure who this individual is but I like the thoughts. If his statements are true they certainly differ widely with the initial reports. Wonder if all the initial reports were from Johnny Rodriguez?:confused:

Interesting that Bronkhorst has claimed everything was legal through out the affair. It is repeated above. Hopefully all his paperwork is in order. If it is then this entire episode is that much more a tragedy.
 
I am afraid if everything was legal, then the damage that has been done is irreversible, too little, too late. What a shame that would be be. Hyenas do participate in social media disguised as human beings. Never let the facts get in the way of a good Lynching. Pathetic society we live in, associated with a politically correct knee jerk reaction populace and government....why has it cone to this?
 
I am afraid if everything was legal, then the damage that has been done is irreversible, too little, too late. What a shame that would be be. Hyenas do participate in social media disguised as human beings. Never let the facts get in the way of a good Lynching. Pathetic society we live in, associated with a politically correct knee jerk reaction populace and government....why has it cone to this?


I am pretty certain that you are correct. I really hope that the facts come out and these guys conducted a legal hunt with all of the proper permits. However, it really won't matter because the Dentist and PH's life (livelihood at least) is destroyed and he will never get his lion trophy. Also, all of the little internet trolls that helped set fire to this story with their vile comments and contrived outrage do not care what the facts are. They want all hunting banned but especially lion hunting. Thus they will destroy anyone involved if need be as a means to their end. Very very sad that this is the case. It is evident more and more everyday that I do not hardly recognize my country and that the inmates are truly running the asylum.
 
If this post is legit then I hope the defamation laws can be used to recover some of their lost income and pay damages for the damage to their reputation. The strongest case would be if someone within an organization reported misinformation to an American media outlet. Maybe then the courts in the USA will take jurisdiction. And, maybe the organization has insurance/assets to payout to the victims. Otherwise, this will just be another tragic lynching. However, it is hard to believe anything I see posted on social media....except on AH of course!
 
This is an Op-Ed piece from today's New York Times (Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/05/o...-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region) :

"In Zimbabwe We Don't Cry For Lions
By Goodwill Nzou

Winston-Salem, N.C. — MY mind was absorbed by the biochemistry of gene editing when the text messages and Facebook posts distracted me.

So sorry about Cecil.

Did Cecil live near your place in Zimbabwe?

Cecil who? I wondered. When I turned on the news and discovered that the messages were about a lion killed by an American dentist, the village boy inside me instinctively cheered: One lion fewer to menace families like mine.

My excitement was doused when I realized that the lion killer was being painted as the villain. I faced the starkest cultural contradiction I’d experienced during my five years studying in the United States.

Did all those Americans signing petitions understand that lions actually kill people? That all the talk about Cecil being “beloved” or a “local favorite” was media hype? Did Jimmy Kimmel choke up because Cecil was murdered or because he confused him with Simba from “The Lion King”?

In my village in Zimbabwe, surrounded by wildlife conservation areas, no lion has ever been beloved, or granted an affectionate nickname. They are objects of terror.

When I was 9 years old, a solitary lion prowled villages near my home. After it killed a few chickens, some goats and finally a cow, we were warned to walk to school in groups and stop playing outside. My sisters no longer went alone to the river to collect water or wash dishes; my mother waited for my father and older brothers, armed with machetes, axes and spears, to escort her into the bush to collect firewood.

A week later, my mother gathered me with nine of my siblings to explain that her uncle had been attacked but escaped with nothing more than an injured leg. The lion sucked the life out of the village: No one socialized by fires at night; no one dared stroll over to a neighbor’s homestead.

When the lion was finally killed, no one cared whether its murderer was a local person or a white trophy hunter, whether it was poached or killed legally. We danced and sang about the vanquishing of the fearsome beast and our escape from serious harm.

Recently, a 14-year-old boy in a village not far from mine wasn’t so lucky. Sleeping in his family’s fields, as villagers do to protect crops from the hippos, buffalo and elephants that trample them, he was mauled by a lion and died.

The killing of Cecil hasn’t garnered much more sympathy from urban Zimbabweans, although they live with no such danger. Few have ever seen a lion, since game drives are a luxury residents of a country with an average monthly income below $150 cannot afford.

Don’t misunderstand me: For Zimbabweans, wild animals have near-mystical significance. We belong to clans, and each clan claims an animal totem as its mythological ancestor. Mine is Nzou, elephant, and by tradition, I can’t eat elephant meat; it would be akin to eating a relative’s flesh. But our respect for these animals has never kept us from hunting them or allowing them to be hunted. (I’m familiar with dangerous animals; I lost my right leg to a snakebite when I was 11.)

The American tendency to romanticize animals that have been given actual names and to jump onto a hashtag train has turned an ordinary situation — there were 800 lions legally killed over a decade by well-heeled foreigners who shelled out serious money to prove their prowess — into what seems to my Zimbabwean eyes an absurdist circus.

PETA is calling for the hunter to be hanged. Zimbabwean politicians are accusing the United States of staging Cecil’s killing as a “ploy” to make our country look bad. And Americans who can’t find Zimbabwe on a map are applauding the nation’s demand for the extradition of the dentist, unaware that a baby elephant was reportedly slaughtered for our president’s most recent birthday banquet.

We Zimbabweans are left shaking our heads, wondering why Americans care more about African animals than about African people.

Don’t tell us what to do with our animals when you allowed your own mountain lions to be hunted to near extinction in the eastern United States. Don’t bemoan the clear-cutting of our forests when you turned yours into concrete jungles.

And please, don’t offer me condolences about Cecil unless you’re also willing to offer me condolences for villagers killed or left hungry by his brethren, by political violence, or by hunger."
 

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