The Sunday News
GOVERNMENT yesterday announced that it had banned the hunting of lions, leopards and elephant around Hwange National Park as rumours swirled that Jericho, the brother of slain Cecil the lion, had been killed yesterday.
Cecil was killed on 1 July by American dentist-cum-hunter Dr Walter Palmer.
According to reports quoting a statement by Mr Johnny Rodrigues, the head of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, Jericho was gunned down by a hunter operating illegally in Hwange National Park at around 4pm.
Despite reports that Cecil the lion’s brother Jericho had been shot dead by a poacher, a field researcher at Hwange Lion Research said last night: “He looks alive and well.”
Another conservation worker said the lion had been seen with a female earlier in the day, “probably mating”.
Brent Staplekamp put the collar on Jericho and was monitoring his data on Saturday. Staplekamp told British publication The Guardian he was confident that Jericho is “alive and well”.
“Nothing looks untoward, it looks like he’s been moving around all day and in fact he sent his last points at six minutes past eight our time,” Staplekamp said.
Earlier yesterday, Mr Rodrigues told Sunday News that Cecil’s six cubs were not in danger, allaying fears that the young ones could be killed by the next lion in the hierarchy.
Mr Rodrigues said if the pride was going to be taken over and all the cubs killed it would have happened weeks ago soon after Cecil’s death.
This follows the arrest of safari operator Headman Sibanda last week for allegedly breaching hunting regulations. He becomes the third person to be arrested following the illegal hunting down of Cecil.
Two other suspects, Theo Bronkhorst and Honest Ndlovu, have already appeared in court on charges related to Cecil’s poaching, and are out on US$1 000 bail each.
Government is also seeking the extradition of Dr Palmer for shooting the prized big cat.
The killing of the 13-year-old lion sparked outrage in the Western media and Government has introduced a cocktail of measures to plug illegal hunting.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Mr Edison Chidziya said bow hunting had also been suspended with immediate effect while professional hunters found in breach of the law would be banned for life.
Those who are currently in the field on hunting trips are also covered by the new measures.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Chidziya said professional hunting would “only be conducted if confirmed and authorised in writing by the director-general of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, and only if accompanied by parks staff whose costs will be met by the landowner”.
“Any case of quota transfer is regarded as poaching.
‘‘The Authority will not hesitate to arrest, prosecute, and ban for life any persons including professional hunters, clients and land owners who are caught on the wrong side of the law,” he said.
The National Parks boss advised professional hunters to familiarise themselves with the country’s statutes.
“Following the illegal killing of an iconic lion, Cecil, outside the Hwange National Park on Antoinette Farm in Gwayi River Conservancy on the 1st of July 2015, it has become necessary that the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority further tightens hunting regulations in all areas outside the Parks estate,” he said.
Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Emmanuel Fundira welcomed Government’s measures to fight illegal hunting. — Sunday News Reporters/Harare Bureau
