Demand the maximum penalty for those involved in the illegal killing of Cecil

The trials for the illegal killing of Cecil the lion, by Theo Bronkhorst, who led the hunting expedition, and Honest Ndlovu, who owned the property where Cecil was killed, have been postponed to September 28 and September 18 respectively. We are calling on the Zimbabwe magistrates to give the maximum penalty. American hunter Walter Palmer must also be tried in absentia.

Bronkhorst, Palmer and Ndlovu connived to kill a lion illegally on Ndlovu's property, a game conservancy, with Palmer paying $55,000 to kill the lion. Ndlovu's property is adjacent to Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. Ndlovu did not have any permit to kill a lion on his property. However, he allowed the illegal hunt to happen.

Cecil was lured away from Hwange National Park, where no hunting is allowed, and onto Ndlovu's property with a bait consisting of a carcass of a dead animal. He was shot at night with a bow and arrow. Shooting at night and shooting with a bow and arrow were illegal. Cecil ran off to hide, a steel arrow piercing his side. He must have suffered excruciating pain and loss of blood when, 40 hours later, he was found by the hunters and shot again, this time with their gun. Palmer, Bronkhorst and Ndlovu were all engaged in the cruel death of Cecil. The three men knew exactly what they were doing and connived to kill Cecil illegally for extra cash. They have broken Zimbabwean laws, international laws and CITES regulations. Cecil’s head was later found in Bronkhorst’s home, with plans to send it to Palmer in the United States. Jericho, who led the pride with Cecil, has recently been spending a lot of time where Cecil was killed - calling for his friend.

Bronkhorst, who led the hunting expedition, runs a safari company by the name of Bushman Safaris. On its website it boasts that "we specialize in hunting leopards with dogs". He has been involved in the cruel killing of animals, even endangered ones, for decades.

Cecil was a well-known attraction among visitors to Hwange National Park. Regularly sighted, he was easily recognizable due to his large size and distinctive black mane. He wore a tracking collar as part of an Oxford University research project. He led two prides consisting of six lionesses and twelve cubs along with another lion, Jericho. He never bothered anybody and was one of the most beautiful animals to look at. The villagers living in the surrounding areas all respected him too.

Cecil’s loss is a loss for Hwange National Park and a loss for Zimbabwe. However, this is not only about Cecil. This is about the poaching of thousands of wild animals each year. Cecil is the 23rd or 24th lion that has been collared and then killed in Hwange. This cannot be allowed to continue. Lions have become endangered. Wildlife must be protected in Hwange and its surrounding areas so that tourists continue to visit to see them and photograph them. Africa is losing a huge amount of wildlife due to poaching every year. These animals are essential for the tourism industries of African countries.

As someone who is a regular visitor to Zimbabwe’s national parks and who delights in seeing and photographing the animals in their natural habitat, I believe that the illegal killing of wildlife must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Those involved in the killing of Cecil - Bronkhorst, Palmer and Ndlovu - should face the maximum sentence in order to send a clear signal that Zimbabwe values its wildlife alive and in the wild.