Source: Cecil’s legacy, a decade of debate – The Southern Eye
TEN years have passed since Cecil, the iconic male African lion, was killed on July 1, 2015, on the outskirts of Hwange National Park.
The cat, who lived in the park and was part of a long-term study by Oxford University, has become a symbol of the controversy surrounding trophy hunting.
His death sparked international outrage, with many calling for stricter regulations on the practice.
As the anniversary of his death approaches, animal rights organisations like the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting and Born Free are using Cecil’s image to push for a ban on trophy hunting.
However, their efforts are met with criticism from those who argue that they do not fully understand the complexities of human-wildlife conflict in areas adjacent to national parks.
“Because for many of us in Zimbabwe, where lions still roam outside our national parks, Cecil was not a global symbol,” said Lungile Sibanda, director doe the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) Association in Zimbabwe.
“He was just one of hundreds of lions that live and sometimes kill in our rural districts.”
Lions in Zimbabwe face numerous threats, including poaching, climate change and trafficking.
Poaching has decimated lion populations, with many being killed for their body parts or in retaliation for attacks on livestock.
Climate change has altered the delicate ecosystem of Hwange National Park, reducing food sources and increasing competition for resources.
Trafficking of lion parts, often for use in traditional medicine, further exacerbates the decline of the species.
Sibanda noted that conservation policies shaped by people who have never lived with wildlife often ignore the needs and concerns of local communities.
“I have seen what happens when conservation policies are shaped by people who have never lived with wildlife and I have watched, year after year, as campaigns built around animals like Cecil continue to ignore and actively undermine the people who share their land with lions,” he said.
In Zimbabwe, lions are not just an iconic specie, but also an important part of the ecosystem and economy.
However, the decline of lion populations threatens not only the species itself, but also the livelihoods of local communities that depend on tourism. Efforts to protect lions and their habitats are underway, but more needs to be done to address the complex challenges facing the species.
“This is not a theoretical debate. For us, it’s how we sustain our way of life,” Sibanda explained.
Trophy hunting revenues make up around 90% of CAMPFIRE income, which helps local people manage over 50 000km² of land for both wildlife and livelihoods.
Amy Dickman, a professor of wildlife conservation at the University of Oxford, noted that removing trophy hunting without providing a suitable alternative of revenue will expose underfunded protected areas to further risks, such as poaching.
“Conservation is my life’s work and I know trophy hunting helps protect wildlife and is not making species extinct.”
CAMPFIRE Association board member and chairperson of Hwange Rural District Council Pascal Mpofu, added that conservation cannot be built on sentiment alone.
“It’s not fair for countries with most of their animals only found in zoos to tell us how to manage our wildlife. It doesn’t make sense.”
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