ZIMBABWE: Cecil The Lion Generates Millions

The killing of Cecil, the lion in Hwange mid last year generated millions of money for researchers while the community in which the lion lived did not get a fraction of the proceeds, Parliamentarians heard yesterday.

Campfire Association director Mr Charles Jonga said it was important for wildlife communities where there were hunting activities to benefit from any activity that brings money instead of hunting only.

He made the remarks when he appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Water, Tourism and Hospitality Industry chaired by Zanu-PF MP for Rushinga, Cde Wonder Mashange.

Legislators wanted to know how communities around campfire districts benefited from the campfire programme and how the association dealt with human and wildlife conflict.

"We know that the killing of Cecil generated a lot of money for researchers, millions of pounds," said Mr Jonga.

"But there is no obligation that makes it necessary that some of that money perhaps should have been used at least to alleviate the problem of human and wildlife conflict in the form of patrols.

"What communities require is that when animals get into their area causing damage, they must be driven away as quickly as possible and when an animal ends up killing somebody, appropriate action needs to be taken not two days or five days later but as immediately as is possible. This is not happening with the present arrangement that we have in Hwange."

Mr Jonga said while the killing of Cecil, caught international ire and headlines, Zimbabwe and its villagers around wildlife areas did not get any recognition for protecting wildlife.

"For Cecil to exist, it was because somebody had to look after it but Zimbabwe did not take any credit for the protection of lions like Cecil that are under the protection of national parks, that are even under the protection of ordinary members of the communities because they don't go around killing lions.

"Hwange has staggering numbers of cattle that are eaten on an annual basis. Researchers must be able to carry some of the costs that people are bearing because they are suffering losses.

"These are the same people that loved Cecil so much that feel that communities need protection but don't want to do anything about it," said Mr Jonga.

He said campfire money was inadequate for communities where problem animal control was the responsibility of rural district councils only.

"To this end, Government is being requested to explore ways of compelling existing tourism players such as private lodges, hotels and all wildlife-based non-governmental organisations and research programmes in Hwange District that are benefiting from the same animals which cause local people problems to contribute towards conflict mitigation through a levy of at least three percent of their income," said Mr Jonga.

Mr Jonga also bemoaned the conflict between wildlife and mining, particularly in Nyatana area under Mudzi/Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe and Rushinga, where operations have been hampered by rampant gold panning.

He said Government had started implementing a five-year Global Environment Facility worth about $5, 6 million funded by the World Bank. The Hwange -- Sanyati Biological Corridor project led by the Worldwide Fund for Nature Zimbabwe focuses on human and wildlife conflict mitigation and livelihood improvement for Campfire communities in Tsholotsho.

The fund also focuses on wildlife restocking and monitoring means of improving community livelihoods in Sidinda ward in Hwange.

ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe Drops Case Against US Dentist Walter Palmer

Protesters lambasted Walter Palmer outside his dental clinic after he came out from hiding.Below DR.Walter Palmer, the dentist who killed Ceil the lion

Zimbabwe has abandoned its bid to press charges against the US dentist who killed Cecil the lion, saying his papers "were in order" and he did not know he was committing an offence.

The lion was shot dead with a bow and arrow in July by a US trophy hunter called Walter Palmer in a hunt that provoked worldwide outrage.

Mr Palmer paid $US55,000 ($75,000) to shoot the lion on an expedition led by professional Zimbabwean hunter Theo Bronkhorst.

The hunt provoked a storm of criticism after it emerged that Cecil was a well-known attraction among visitors to the Hwange National Park and was wearing a tracking collar as part of an Oxford University research project.

But a minister said Zimbabwe would drop its bid to have Mr Palmer brought to justice because at the time of the hunt he was carrying all the right papers.

"Palmer came to Zimbabwe because his papers were in order," environment minister Oppah Muchinguri said.

"The documents were there... the problem now remains internal.

"We are now going to review how we issue hunting quotas."

The dentist was welcome to return to Zimbabwe but "not for hunting", she said.

Mr Palmer, an experienced trophy hunter, was hounded on social media over the killing, and after demonstrations outside his dental practice in Minnesota, he went into hiding for weeks.

He later apologised for killing Cecil, a 13-year-old male renowned for his distinctive black mane.

Mr Palmer said he believed it was legal hunt and appeared to blame Mr Bronkhorst for misleading him.

The minister said Honest Ndlovu, the local landowner, did not have a hunting quota for a lion but that the rural district council covering the land did.

Mr Bronkhorst has been charged with "failing to prevent an illegal hunt" and is due back in court on Thursday when the judge is due to decide on his application to have the case against him thrown out.

He has always denied any wrongdoing, saying he had obtained all the permits required to kill an elderly lion that was outside the national park boundaries.

ZIMBABWE: Lion Kills Guide In Hwange National Park

A safari guide was killed by a lion in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, the same wildlife reserve where the famous Cecil the Lion was lured to his death by a Minnesota dentist a few weeks ago.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority confirmed that Quinn Swales, a 40-year old safari guide based at Main Camp in Hwange National Park, was attacked by one of six lions that Swales and his group of six tourists had approached. Swales was leading a walking safari.

The attack took place Aug. 24. Swales died of his injuries the same day.

According to reports, Swales and his group approached a pride of lions, two males, two females and two cubs. The lions became nervous and hostile. At first, Swales managed to scare them away, but one of them came back and attacked Swales.

One of the lions, named Nxaha, was collared and being studied by researchers, as had been Cecil the Lion. According to the wildlife authority, Nxaha was the lion that attacked Swales.

According to Camp Hwange’s Facebook page, after the group of people came upon the lions, one of the adult males started walking toward the group. Quinn told his guests to get behind him, and they all started shouting to intimidate the lion and convince it to retreat. The lion stopped and watched them. Swales set off a “bear banger” to scare off the lion and the lion moved away. But then it suddenly turned and attacked Swales. The attack came too fast for Swales to use his rifle.

Swales was thrown to the ground and bitten in his shoulder and neck. The guests shouted and successfully drove the lion from Swales. Emergency first aid was performed but Swales died at the scene. The guests used the handheld radio to call the camp for assistance.

David Carson, the general manager of Camp Hwange, issued a statement saying, “Only praise and admiration can be given to Quinn in the professional way he unflinchingly faced the charging lion, thus ensuring that he protected the clients, all of whom were unharmed in any way. He paid the ultimate price in pursuit of a job he loved, in an area he knew so well. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, colleagues and friends at this sad time. It would be appreciated if the family be given the privacy to mourn the loss of a fine man.”