“This is not about the legality of the kill, this is about the cruelty behind the act. Cecil was cruelly shot with a bow and arrow and survived for 40 hours, only to be shot in cold blood."
During the hunt in August this year Walter Palmer shot Cecil with a crossbow. Cecil was found wounded 40 hours later, where he was then shot dead with a gun.
Despite hunting lions being legal in several countries in southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, hunting groups must obtain a valid permit from authorities.
Kate Nustedt, Director of Wildlife at World Animal Protection has said:
“The paperwork in place has protected the hunter and not the hunted Cecil.
“This is not about the legality of the kill, this is about the cruelty behind the act. Cecil was cruelly shot with a bow and arrow and survived for 40 hours, only to be shot in cold blood.
“The rearing and killing of lions in the name of ‘entertainment’ must end. Animals belong in the wild and must not prop up this sordid industry.
“If Cecil’s death does one thing we hope that it is to give a greater urgency to the tourism industry and governments to urgently act to protect our wildlife. We need laws to protect these wild animals, not those hunting and killing them.”
A growing business
The story of Cecil is heart-breaking, but not a one-off. What this tragedy has done is shine a light on the cruel use of animals in entertainment.
Wildlife is a lucrative business, with animals such as lions being torn from their mothers at just a few weeks old. They are kept in small enclosures with no shade from the heat, fed a poor diet, and are abused until they become compliant enough for photo opportunities or lion walks with tourists. They may then be sold into untracked trade chains that can end in the canned hunting industry.
We oppose animal cruelty in any form and we strongly believe the rearing and killing of lions in the name of ‘entertainment’ must end.
Take action
We move the world to protect wild animals, and to keep them in the wild where they belong. Find out more about our work to end the abuse of animals in entertainment.
