Majestic Cecil, one of oldest, most famous lion kings, lured to tragic death - hunter paid $50,000, plans to kill elephant next

*update* 08 August 2015
One of the 3500 remaining male lions, Cecil ("had some years to go"), is shot dead as 90% lion population has been wiped out. The following hunting figures may well distinguish and re-define "eliminating" from "hunting" -
Africa's Lion Population Has Declined 90% in the Last 75 Years;
Cheetahs Have Disappeared From More Than 75% of Their Range;
There Are More Tigers in Captivity Than There Are in the Wild Every Cecil matters. A lot!
Only 3,500 of male lions roaming Africa.

on the ban-hunting-trophies list: @AirFrance @KLM @Iberia @IAG @Qantas @lufthansa @flysaa @AmericanAir @Delta @AirCanada @united @British_Airways @VirginAtlantic

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Stapelkamp, a lion researcher and part of a team that had tracked and studied Cecil the lion for 9 years darted him and attached a collar last year. He was probably the last person to get up close before Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer killed the now-famous lion with the bushy black mane and, aided by a Zimbabwean professional hunter, cut off its head and skin for trophies.When Cecil the lion's carcass was finally found after he was lured out of a Zimbabwe wildlife reserve to be killed by an American hunter, it was a headless, skinless skeleton the vultures had been picking at for about a week. Conservationists decided the most natural thing was to leave the bones where they were for hyenas to finish off, said Brent Stapelkamp, a lion researcher and part of a team that had tracked and studied Cecil for nine years.

Stapelkamp darted Cecil and put his last GPS collar on in October. He was probably the last person to get up close before Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer used a bow and a gun to kill the now-famous lion with the bushy black mane, its head and skin eventually cut off as trophies. Stapelkamp had first alerted authorities that something might be wrong after Cecil's GPS collar stopped sending a signal.

The killing of the big cat in early July has unleashed global outrage, sending Palmer into hiding back home in suburban Minneapolis, leading to the arrest of the local hunter he employed, and prompting Zimbabwe's environment minister to say the southern African country would seek Palmer's extradition to face charges.

Hunter paid $50,000 to two people who lured the lion out of Hwange National Park. LionAid, a conservation group, said Cecil was wounded with a bow and arrow, and not shot dead until 40 hours later.A dentist from Minnesota. Palmer's hunting has attracted scrutiny in the past. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to lying to a U.S. wildlife agent about a black bear he killed in Wisconsin two years before. Palmer was accused of killing a bear about 40 miles outside his permitted zone, hauling the carcass back into the approved area and certifying falsely that it was killed there. He was sentenced to one year probation and fined $2,938. Comments posted on Twitter about Palmer included, "You are a disgusting excuse of a human" and "when does hunting season start on Walter Palmer."

Cecil, a distinctive black-maned lion, was a popular attraction at the Hwange National Park and had featured in many photographic shoots. Cecil's head and skin were recovered and would be used as evidence in court, Rodrigues said.

29 Apr 2015 - South African Airways bans the transport of hunting trophies on all their carriers. No more lion heads and leopard-skins for those who seek to plunder Africa’s eco resources as SAA takes a hard line against hunters. Our local carrier and the largest in Africa has put a total block on hunting trophies, meaning whatever wealthy foreigners come to shoot here won’t be going home with them. Said Tim Clyde-Smith of SAA: “Hunting of endangered species has become a major problem in Africa and elsewhere with the depletion to near extinction of wildlife that once roamed in prolific numbers. SAA has taken the step of banning all transportation of animals killed in hunting activity as a result,” Tim said. “In consultation with key authorities, SAA will no longer support game hunters by carrying their trophies back to their country of origin. The vast majority of tourists visit Africa in particular to witness the wonderful wildlife that remains. We consider it our duty to work to ensure this is preserved for future generations and that we deter activity that puts this wonderful resource in danger,” he said. “We are actively involved in and supportive of preservation of African wildlife including rhino preservation, regeneration and anti-poaching activities. This is a logical extension of our approach.”

Zimbabwean duo in court over killing of Cecil the lion. US Officials Want Dentist Who Admitted to Killing Cecil the Lion to Contact Them 'Immediately'

Palmer paid an astonishing £31,900 for the brutal hunt that caused outrage across globe – the hunter used an arrow to hit a lion that authorities said was lured from a protected wildlife preserve. They then tracked the wounded animal for 40 hours before it was shot with a gun. THE HUNTER - Walter James Palmer, 55, is a dentist in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington. He's an active big-game hunter and has many kills to his name. Palmer, a bow hunter, hired local guides for a hunting trip in Zimbabwe. During the hunt, he used an arrow to hit a lion that authorities said was lured from a protected wildlife preserve. They then tracked the wounded animal for 40 hours before it was shot with a gun, according to Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.

The lion, known as Cecil, had been collared as part of a research study.

the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF) added that Jericho is not actually Cecil the lion's brother but instead is simply "a close ally". ZCTF insisted that their earlier claim that Jericho had been killed at Hwange National Park had been a case of "mistaken identity". It was first feared that Jericho would kill Cecil's cubs in a move to assert his dominance on the pride. However, ZCTF added that Jericho had in fact "adopted Cecil's cubs". "Jericho was seen alive and well at 6.15am. He has been feeding on a giraffe kill with the lionesses from his pride." The lion is said to be protecting Cecil's cubs after he was cruelly killed. Prof Macdonald said that Jericho, who is about 11 years old, was not related by blood to Cecil, dispelling earlier claims that they had been brothers. But he added: "They were not related though their bond was one close to brotherhood. "Male lions often form what are termed co-operative 'coalitions' with unrelated males in order to better compete with other males for territories and prides."

UN steps up fight against wildlife crime as investigators probe death of Cecil the lion. Resolution commits countries to tackle illegal trade in wild animals using full armoury of law enforcement tools

Mirror.co.uk - The slaughter of Cecil the lion should highlight all the other animal atrocities in the world. It has now emerged that our loveable local dentist and lion maimer wanted to kill an elephant too. “A big one”, Mr Palmer reportedly demanded of the hunter who faces charges. He sounds like my children did at four years old: ”I want an ice cream.”
This just adds insult to that fatal injury that took 40 hours to kill a magnificent creature. He wanted to kill an elephant! For pity’s sake.
independent.co.uk 03 August 2015 - 'Cecil’s Revenge': Norwich pub commemorates famous lion by naming a new beer after him
Tourists pay thousands of pounds to hunt animals in South African safaris including the Big Five – elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and rhino.

A group of airlines including Air France, KLM, Iberia, IAG Cargo, Singapore Airlines and Qantas signaled last week they would ban the transport of trophy-hunting kills. The recent killing of a popular lion named Cecil by an American dentist in Zimbabwe sparked considerable outrage on social media and elsewhere against safari hunting. The event has also brought to light the role that airlines play in transporting trophy kills as cargo, and may have contributed to changing airline policy. On Monday, Delta Air Lines became the latest carrier to change its rules about transporting hunting trophies. Its announcement came as a group of airlines including Air France, KLM, Iberia, IAG Cargo, Singapore Airlines and Qantas signaled last week they would ban the transport of trophy-hunting kills, according to Paul Ferris, the campaign director at SumOfUs.org, a consumer-based petition agency in Brooklyn, which has pressed for changing cargo policies. Delta Air Lines, is the only U.S. airline to fly to Africa, refuses to ship hunting 'trophies' after death of Cecil the lion Several foreign airlines announced similar bans last week. The carrier announced Monday afternoon that it would no longer accept lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies. As recently as May, the Atlanta-based airline had said that it would continue to allow such shipments -- as long as they were legal. At the time, some international carriers prohibited such cargo. The move comes after an American dentist killed a well-known lion named Cecil in Zimbabwe last month in an allegedly illegal hunt. The dentist, Walter James Palmer, lives in Minnesota, which is a major hub for Delta.

Both Delta And American Airlines are taking a stand against the slaughter of rare animals in Africa, banning exotic animal trophy shipments after Cecil The Lion. The airlines will stop transporting buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino trophies. The move comes weeks after Cecil, a popular male lion beloved by tourists and locals in Zimbabwe, was lured from a national park and killed by Walter Palmer, a Minnesota dentist and hunter. Last week, police received the big cat's decapitated head -- kept in the home of Theo Bronkhorst, one of the hunt's organizers -- before it could be shipped to Minnesota.

The killing sparked international outrage, prompting U.S. senators to draft a bill -- dubbed the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large (CECIL) Animal Trophies Act -- to further restrict the import of hunting trophies.
(On Monday evening, American Airlines also announced the company will stop transporting exotic animal trophies. @AmericanAir - Effective immediately, we will no longer transport buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion or rhino trophies.)

BRITISH AIRWAYS and Virgin Atlantic have joined American Airlines, Delta and United in pledging not to carry trophies on flights, in the wake of the killing of the famous Zimbabwean lion Cecil. Both airlines spoke out as three US airlines vowed to end the shipment of lion, rhinoceros, leopard, elephant or buffalo remains. The UK-based airline giants said they had never carried hunting kills despite operating flights to destinations across Africa and the Far East. National flag carrier BA said it operated a "total ban on any form of hunting trophy". The company said in a brief statement: "Effective immediately, Delta will officially ban shipment of all lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies worldwide as freight."

At least three lions have recently been illegally killed within the park and adjacent areas, including an unnamed lion this past Saturday. Zimbabwe Halts Lion, Leopard and Elephant Hunting in Hwange
Zimbabwean authorities have imposed a near-complete moratorium on the hunting of lions, leopards and elephants in and around Hwange National Park following Saturday's poaching death of yet another lion within the park's confines. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority announced the ban on Sunday morning. Such hunts will only be permitted "if confirmed and authorized 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." In the same statement, Director-General Edson Chidziya reminded the public that his agency "will not hesitate to arrest, prosecute and ban for life any persons including professional hunters, clients and land owners." At least three lions have recently been illegally killed within the park and adjacent areas, including an unnamed lion this past Saturday. In each case, Zimbabwean authorities are looking to press charges against all involved parties.

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Photo courtesy Wildlife Conservation Research Unit / AP Photo, Tim Stewart News, @FizzyCuteness, Paula French / ShutterStock, independent.co.uk, and Brent Staplecamp / Telegraph UK