Scientists hope to create “exclusion zone” around national park to prevent hunting of lions who wander beyond boundaries
Cecil the Lion’s cub, Xanda, has been killed by a trophy hunter in Zimbabwe, Britain’s Telegraph newspaper reported Thursday. His death occurred near Hwange National Park, close to the site of his father’s 2015 killing.
Researchers had been monitoring Xanda, who was wearing an electronic collar at the time of his death. The collar was discovered by the professional hunter on the shoot, Richard Cooke of RC Safaris, who returned it to the scientists.
“I fitted (the collar) last October, ” Dr. Andrew Loveridge of Oxford University’s Department of Zoology told the Telegraph. “It was monitored almost daily and we were aware that Xanda and his pride was spending a lot of time out of the park in the last six months, but there is not much we can do about that, ” he said.
