Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Take a picture not a body, Stop trophy killing!

Like so many of you, I am deeply sadden and disgusted with the news of the most recent lion killed for the soul purpose of having its head and skin as a trophy.

This one selfish person took it upon himself to kill an animal that so many others have enjoyed watching and photographing over the last 13 years.

Cecil (as the lion was known) has been living in a protected area in Zimbabwe with 2 prides he protected, 6 lionesses and 12 cubs until he was lured out of the park by food in the middle of the night so that this selfish man could shoot him with a crossbow. Cecil was only wounded and was then tracked for 40 hours before finally the man shot him with a rifle killing the lion. Before skinning him and cutting off his head he did make sure he got a picture smiling with the dead lion.

What is wrong with this person? Why do people feel the need to kill such a beautiful creature for their own personal enjoyment?

Now because of this one persons actions Zimbabwe lost a lion so many came to view and learn from. The prides Cecil protected are now in danger without a male to protect them. Oxford Universality was doing research on the lion which now has ended.

All because Walter James Palmer wanted a lion head for his wall. He could not be happy like the rest of us who just want to go, watch, learn, take a few pictures and experience lions roaming free. No he needed a trophy. Not to mention what an easy target this lion was. The lion had been living in a protected area and was used to seeing the safari vehicles, they posed no threat to the lion. One strapped with an animal carcass as bait was an easy draw for the lion. He should of had an easy shot but instead he only wounded the lion and left him to suffer 40 more hours before ending it. Torture.
I hope Palmer gets all that is coming to him. I have nothing nice to say about a person like this.

There is no reason for this type of kill. No reason to mount a head on the wall. Hopefully this will enlighten people as to what is going on in our world and changes will be made to stop trophy killing.

Extradite Minnesotan Walter James Palmer to face investigation and possible prosecution for poaching in Zimbabwe. Sign the petition now!

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/extradite-minnesotan-walter-james-palmer-face-investigation-and-possible-prosecution-poaching-zimbabwe

Recently I was in Zambia and got to experience seeing lions roaming free. It was an amazing privileged to be able to be so close to them. Here are some pictures not of Cecil but of other lions roaming free in South Luangwa National park.