Cecil The Lion: The Questions Around Poaching and Hunting

The recent story about an American man who killed a lion(Cecil) in Zimbabwe has hit headlines all over the world. The man is a dentist known as Dr. Walter James Palmer, according to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. This story highlights the issue of poaching and unlawful hunting- especially in Africa where conservation of wildlife is key to the economy of most countries.

According to a CNN post ( http://edition.cnn.com/2015/07/28/africa/zimbabwe-lion-killed/ ) Cecil was a participant in a study that Oxford University in Britain was conducting, and he had been outfitted with a GPS collar.

“To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted,” said Dr. Palmer in the statement.

“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.”

He said no authorities in Zimbabwe or the United States had contacted him but he would assist them in any inquiries.

The hunter concluded: “Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.”

 

Hunting has been there since the the existence of humankind. The early man used to be known to be a hunter and gatherer. Today, there still exists indigenous societies that rely so much on hunting for food like in the Congo forest. On the other hand, most developed nations have laws regulating hunting. This therefore makes hunting distinct from poaching.

Raabia Hawa is an environmental warrior in Kenya, who has a vocal approach to wildlife conservation. She has also dedicated her endeavors in working with rangers to bring an end to poaching of elephants. Asked about the difference between hunting and poaching, she says “Hunting has a license, poaching does not. Personally I feel there is no difference except a piece of paper.” Hawa also acknowledges that there is ‘legal hunting’ in Kenya and expresses her negative concerns about it. “I know it is there but I feel it is wrong and disgusting.”

According to the National Tourism Strategy 2013-2018, Kenya’s tourism greatly depends on its wilderness and wildlife. 75 percent of Kenya’s wildlife is found in the dry lands and 92 percent of Kenya’s protected area estate, like the parks and reserves, which are currently the Kenya’s thriving wildlife safari tourism. With this in mind, the country definitely has a lot to learn from the Cecil story. Raabia attests to the fact that the country has improved its strategies of wildlife conservation and also shuns corruption that go with it. “We can learn never to lower ourselves to a level where we sell our heritage as a commodity to blood-thirsty hunters who kill for fun.”