Cecil The Lion’s Brother ‘Killed’ By Poachers

Researcher Brent Stapelkamp told The Associated Press by telephone Saturday that the satellite collar on a lion named Jericho had been sending normal signals, indicating the lion was alive and moving around.

“IT is with huge disgust and sadness that we have just been informed that Jericho, Cecil’s brother has been killed at 4pm today”, the task force said on Facebook on Saturday.

The Zimbabwean government has requested the extradition of the US dentist Walter Palmer, who killed the southern African country’s most celebrated lion, Cecil.

CECIL the lion’s brother, Jericho, has been shot dead by poachers in Zimbabwe while protecting his siblings’ lion cubs.

Initially there were fears that Cecil’s cubs may be killed by Jericho, so that Jericho could insert his bloodline into the pride.

The source said the hunter, whose nationality he did not disclose, had since left Zimbabwe, but police had recovered the lion’s head and carcass.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said Bronkhorst has conducted his hunting business since 2002.

Part of the revenue is used in wildlife conservation and for aiding impoverished local communities whose cattle are said to be preyed on by wild animals from time to time. Zimbabwe officials are now seeking to have Palmer extradited from the U.S.so he can face charges for the alleged crime.

“We believe this report is incorrect and will confirm with a sighting of the Jericho tomorrow (it is nightime here)”, Loveridge says.

Hunting is illegal in Zimbabwe’s national parks, and it is considered unlikely that in daylight, as suggested by initial reports, hunters broke in to kill a lion, possibly in front of tourists.

Bow and arrow hunts have also been suspended unless they are approved by the National Parks and Wildlife Authority’s director.

Emmanuel Fundira, chairman of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, said his association could lose business as a result of the new hunting ban, but added that the measures were necessary to protect wildlife.

“One can conclude with confidence that Dr. Palmer, being an American citizen, had a well-orchestrated agenda which would tarnish the image of Zimbabwe and further strain the relationship between Zimbabwe and the USA”, she said, according to the BBC.