https://www.newsweek.com/cecil...-pride-exile-1774638

WILDLIFE
Cecil the Lion Brothers Now Trophy Hunter's Prime Target After Pride Exile

BY ROBYN WHITE ON 1/18/23 AT 7:30 AM EST


Cecil the lion's two brothers are at risk of being trophy hunted after they were exiled from their pride.

Cecil was a beloved African lion who rose to fame in 2015 after he was lured outside the protected area of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, and killed by an American trophy hunter named Walter Palmer. A research group had been tracking the lion for research purposes before he was killed by an arrow.

The lion's brothers, Humba and Netsai, took over Cecil's pride and home range in the park shortly after his death. But now they are at risk of suffering the same fate as their brother. The pair were ousted from their territory by a group of five lions dubbed by locals "the Baggage Handlers," the Facebook community World Heritage Species said. One of Cecil's last remaining sons is a member of the group.


Since then, Humba and Netsai have been spotted wandering outside the national park, World Heritage Species said on Facebook. There, they are under no protection, meaning they are a prime target for hunters. There are only an estimated 20,000 lions remaining in the wild.


Rogue Rubin, who directed Lion Spy, an upcoming Netflix documentary in which she goes undercover as a big cat photographer to infiltrate the world of trophy hunting, told Newsweek that wild male lions like Netsai and Humba are the "most desired trophy" for big game hunters.

"The size of the lion, and how dark its mane is, also adds value to a lion trophy. To a big game trophy hunter, it symbolizes a huge accomplishment and reenforces man's dominance over animals and land," Rubin said.


She continued: "A lion is considered king of the beasts, so they feel killing a lion is a true accomplishment. With high-powered guns, multiple people on hand to help, and often illegal methods involved in tracking and luring lions, I personally do not understand how these are still deemed 'ethical chase hunts.'"


Trophy hunting is the practice of killing large game such as lions or elephants. Cecil's death triggered global outrage over the controversial sport. Trophy hunting is legal in Zimbabwe for professional hunters with a license, but critics say it is poorly managed.

World Heritage Species shared on Facebook the news of the two brothers' exile in the hope that it would spread and protect them from hunters.

Cecil's family has severely suffered the effects of trophy hunting. In 2017, the famed lion's son Xanda was shot and killed by a trophy hunter.


Rubin said that the ousting of these two lions makes them especially vulnerable.


"It is important to talk about why these two males are not in the pride anymore, keeping in mind I do not know their age. At around age 2 or 3, young male lions leave their pride and try to take over another male's pride. Not all of them manage to do so, making them nomads and more vulnerable," Rubin said.

"There is a strong social structure in lion prides, based on specific roles. Lionesses are the primary hunters, and strong males are responsible for protecting the pride's territory," she said.

When Cecil died, the news spread worldwide and was even talked about by late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.

Shortly afterward, dozens of airlines restricted passengers from bringing wildlife trophies on flights. Also, African lions were listed in the U.S. Endangered Species Act, which prohibits the import of them altogether.


"What we must remember, with lions being at risk of extinction, is that even if these lions are not producing cubs at the moment there are so few wild lions," Rubin said. "It is so important to tourism and the pride of Africa that these lions are left to live and die a natural death in the wild. They also contribute to the eco-structure of the land."

If you didn't know where to go for a big lion or two, now you do!!

Right.

Those two lions are not long for the world. The territory is claimed by the pride, and the dominant male(s) will run them off. They won’t be seen, as they need to hide from other lions.

It gives value to tolerating the lions by the local farmers (who most likely will have to bear the brunt of feeding these two no longer capable hunters) and the area gets a source of revenue that allows it to remain not full up farms.

How many lions in Kenya again?

The bunny huggers don’t like it- but wildlife is disappearing because the habitat is being turned into productive use. You need a productive use for borderlands with destructive creatures (kind of the definition of dangerous game…) and hunting provides that use while preserving habitat. I suppose ideally they would have the whole area be a park, but that’s not economic reality. If there are no hunters, the farmers just shoot or poison the animals on sight, as it impairs their livelihood.

If no one wanted to hunt, then there would be less habitat, and fewer animals. Pretty simple, but the antis sure don’t pay for habitat and the taxes it requires.

Fuck me and what the world does not understand is that Parks are feeder areas and the hunting concessions are buffer zones.

There are plenty of Lions in Hwange but it just happens that this pride is under research and has been named.

Which is the best outcome;
1) Starvation,
2) Haynes eating them alive,
3) cattle and man killing,
Or
4) Ethical hunting that created no injury to overall numbers and bio diversity, preventing human animal conflict, and providing revenue that funds habitat. The added benefit is death will come in mere minutes as opposed to the above.

You can only have one.

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Which is the best outcome;
1) Starvation,
2) Haynes eating them alive,
3) cattle and man killing,
Or
4) Ethical hunting that created no injury to overall numbers and bio diversity, preventing human animal conflict, and providing revenue that funds habitat. The added benefit is death will come in mere minutes as opposed to the above.

You can only have one.

Starvation is the anti-hunter's dearest wish as it is the most 'natural' - that which has not been tampered by the hand of man (ostensibly, at least). I saw a great video of a few lion going for the soft spot on a moaning buffalo. Responses from the peanut gallery ranged from thumbs down to throw up - with may suggestions that the videographer should have shooed the lion away. 'No killing' also means (in their demented world) no animals killing each other either.

I detest these people, but I understand them.

I will guarantee you the critters did t have names until the skeevy reporters and do gooders came around.

It’s all done in an effort to humanize them with all this “family” talk.

We live in a world where it is murder to legally hunt a lion but a right to kill a baby.

Cecil was killed in 2015. His litter mate brothers have to be rather old by now. The whole situation turned into a shitshow. It’s back again.

However, they pass the 7 year test if actual “brothers.”

Cecil was estimated to be 10 in 2015. That would make his brothers 18.


These^^^are supposed to be his brothers at 18.

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Which is the best outcome;
1) Starvation,
2) Haynes eating them alive,
3) cattle and man killing,
Or
4) Ethical hunting that created no injury to overall numbers and bio diversity, preventing human animal conflict, and providing revenue that funds habitat. The added benefit is death will come in mere minutes as opposed to the above.

You can only have one.

Starvation is the anti-hunter's dearest wish as it is the most 'natural' - that which has not been tampered by the hand of man (ostensibly, at least). I saw a great video of a few lion going for the soft spot on a moaning buffalo. Responses from the peanut gallery ranged from thumbs down to throw up - with may suggestions that the videographer should have shooed the lion away. 'No killing' also means (in their demented world) no animals killing each other either.

I detest these people, but I understand them.

Hi yes, for the true believers the objection is not to death, but to a consumptive model that involves human act. I find that objection rather illogical. It presumed man and our interactions with the natural world is somehow not in balance with the Earth’s design. What we do from killing animals to building ski scrappers is as part of the fabric as a Lion killing or prairie dog town. The difference is we have very little external controls on our growth at the destruction of everything else.

That is why Hunting Conservation, like appropriately regulated capitalism serves the best and most good. Both acknowledge the natural state of competition, both seek to create an environment of growth, and both without the proper checks can become destructive. However, both provide the most benefit when harnessed.

Non consumptive conservation and communism, cannot not provide the reaching benefit. They also provide fewer checks on man. Yet, the true believers do not care.

I do think, because I have seen it, most anti hunters if shown hard data being math to the above talking points or first hand examples can be reached because Al they see is the consumptive act in daily life. A few really need the math. Our just saying the above is not sufficient. That is why I irate on here for Outfitters to provide that math.

How much will the death of these two lions save wild Africa or more lions. We need to one that down to the dollar. Then opinion and observation becomes empirical data.

quote:

Originally posted by Capt.Purvis:
We live in a world where it is murder to legally hunt a lion but a right to kill a baby.

Bingo!!!

Not to mention all the other insanity.

I wonder how many cubs the new pride males killed when they took over the pride?

quote:

Originally posted by BaxterB:

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Which is the best outcome;
1) Starvation,
2) Haynes eating them alive,
3) cattle and man killing,
Or
4) Ethical hunting that created no injury to overall numbers and bio diversity, preventing human animal conflict, and providing revenue that funds habitat. The added benefit is death will come in mere minutes as opposed to the above.

You can only have one.

Starvation is the anti-hunter's dearest wish as it is the most 'natural' - that which has not been tampered by the hand of man (ostensibly, at least). I saw a great video of a few lion going for the soft spot on a moaning buffalo. Responses from the peanut gallery ranged from thumbs down to throw up - with may suggestions that the videographer should have shooed the lion away. 'No killing' also means (in their demented world) no animals killing each other either.

I detest these people, but I understand them.

What they don’t understand or refuse to accept is that man is a part of the natural world, not separate and above it. We are both apex predators and l, at times, prey. Taking man as hunter out of the equation distorts the natural order.

The biggest killer of Lions is other Lions. Go look at a few Videos of that happening.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Cecil was estimated to be 10 in 2015. That would make his brothers 18.


These^^^are supposed to be his brothers at 18.

This! If they are truly his brothers, even if they were from a later litter, they are well past their prime now, and have had plenty of time to spread their genes.