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Favorite lion shot in Namibia
A black-maned lion nicknamed "Old Boy" has been shot in Etosha National Park, Namibia. This is the second lion to be killed in the park in the past five months. Both lions were collared, meaning park rangers were studying and protecting them.
"Old Boy" had been a favorite among visitors for years because he lived near Hobatere Lodge. Conservationists believe he was the most frequently seen lion in the country. The park has a no-shoot policy towards collared lions, which didn't stop a professional hunter from killing "Old Boy." The hunter had a permit, but officials want to know why he targeted a lion that was being studied. The hunting party claimed they didn't see the collar until the lion was dead. They also claim the lion attacked them, something "Old Boy" had never done before, although in a separate interview the hunters didn't mention any attack.
The incident highlights the troubles conservationists face in trying to preserve animals on a continent where big game hunting is still popular.
[Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jill Nov 9th 2010 11:07AM
Why is big game hunting still legal with big cat numbers dwindling???????????
DeAnna Outlaw Nov 8th 2010 10:26PM
Trophy hunting should be illegal. It always comes down to greed. These so called 'professional' hunters should be ashamed of themselves. But, of course, they are not since they obviously lied about the behavior of the lion. They aren't hunters, they are the scum of the earth and should be culled from the human herd.
Too bad Karma isn't instantaneous.
Joanne Nov 8th 2010 11:15PM
If so called professionals can cause this in a National Park then its time humanity re thinks its need for this type of revenue raising to support conservation. Its time to ensure Parks are for the security of wildlife not for the entertainment of hunters.
George Nov 8th 2010 11:15PM
The hunter should be killed on spot. Trophy and canned hunting should be outlawed world wide. What a gorgeous lion he was. We need more lions like him and less of the idiot hunter. Please contact all government officials and insist they end canned and trophy hunting because anyone who does it is pure scum.
roberta bown Nov 10th 2010 10:14AM
i just dont understand why trophy hunters were near this park and not to see the collar yeah whatever :( i really do believe the Government should set in and end these trophy hunters for good - we wont have any lions left Hmmmmmmmmmm i wonder what they will hunt then - i personally would join an Anit-poaching trophy hunting team and see if the hunter likes being hunted Grrrrrrrrrrr
Real Hunter Aug 16th 2011 3:40PM
These anti-hunting comments are made by extremely ignorant people. The lion was NOT shot "in" Etosha NP, but instead near it in a legal hunting area. Lions commonly come out of the park and wreak havoc on neighboring commercial ranches. Those lions are declared problem animals by govt and permits are issued for them to be hunted. Lions, like elephants, are quite overpopulated in Etosha to begin with, thus the reason that they move out of the park onto commercial or communal (tribal) land looking for new territory. While this was not the case with Old Boy, I have a hard time listening to the nonsense of people who comment on things they know nothing about. Look at the photos of Old Boy! Collars and not big to begin with and considering the quality of mane that Old Boy had, it is understandable that the professional hunter and hunting client likely did not see the collar before shooting him. If it were not for hunting, there would be very little wildlife left in Africa. Even in controlled hunting areas that border communal villages in such countries as Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, etc., villagers resort to mass destruction of lions by poisoning lion kills. In such cases, the whole pride dies--not just one individual lion. Only the fact that hunting companies police such controlled safari areas keep treasured animals like lions from becoming extinct. Killing a selected few protects the overall well-being of the various populations of such animals. It's easy for pompous arm-chair quarterbacks who know nothing of the realities of the African bush to pontificate on such matters. Have they ever faced economic catastrophe from the depredations of large cats on their cattle, goat, or sheep herds? Have they ever had a child or parent killed by a lion? I think not. Furthermore these ignorant masses who think trophy hunting should be banned also need a wake-up call. Elephant culling en masse needs to be re-introduced in many regions of southern Africa. This is not hunting in any way shape or form--it is controlled killing. If we want to see the wilderness areas of southern Africa preserved from becoming desert wastelands then this better happen soon. How many elephants are in Botswana now? Approximately 200,000! This in a country with a carrying capacity of 50-55,000! Zimbabwe has the same problem--125,000+ in a country with a carrying capacity of 45-50,000! Kruger NP has 17,000+ and should have 5,000 maximum. I cannot believe how the "silly sentimentalists" have been so completely brainwashed by the anti-hunting propaganda so prevalent in the media today. I mean c'mon people! One doesn't have to be a wildlife biologist to see what happens when there is an overpopulation of elephants. One only has to look to the tragedy of the mass starvation of ellies in Tsavo NP, Kenya in the early 1970s. Have you ever seen an elephant die of starvation? How about 20,000+ of them die in that tragic way? I firmly believe that a instantaneous death from a shot to the brain by an experienced culling team is much better than a writhing elephant starving over a prolonged period. Sustained utilization is a must. If we want to see individual populations and species as a whole saved from extinction then we must start with preserving their habitat. This can only be done via proper management. Whether lions or elephants, buffalo or leopard, reality and a long-term view must be the first consideration. Enough said! Do so homework people and get the real facts...