But Brent Stapelkamp, a field researcher with Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit who is monitoring the cat, said that his collar data suggests he is alive and well. “He sent a Global Positioning System point from his collar from 8:06 p.m. Everything looks fine”, Stapelkamp told Reuters.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, parks authorities quashed a rumour that emerged Saturday alleging another lion in Hwange had been killed.
Zimbabwe is now officially seeking the extradition of Dr Palmer from the US so he can face charges in the country, and has been labeled a “foreign poacher” by Zimbawe’s environment, water and climate minister Oppah Muchinguri.
The force say there are “absolutely heartbroken”, but a researcher monitoring the pride has rejected the claim.
The Task Force said Jericho, like his brother Cecil, was killed by a hunter operating illegally.
ABC News’ request for comment from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the government authority on wildlife in Zimbabwe, has not been immediately returned.
Muchinguri, a senior member of President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party, described Cecil, a rare black-maned lion well-known to tourists in the Hwange National Park, as an “iconic attraction”.
A Zimbabwean court last week charged a professional hunter with failing to prevent Palmer from unlawfully killing Cecil.
The 55-year-old identified himself as the man who shot Cecil, a protected and beloved research animal, but noted he “deeply” regrets his actions and was under the impression everything with his hunt and the guides was legal.
“It’s just too much”, Rodrigues had told USA Today earlier Saturday.
“The outrage over Cecil could have helped because people are now more aware and ready to come with information”, Matipano said, adding that they suspect it was an illegal trophy hunt.
The head of Zimbabwe’s Safari Operators Association, Emmanuel Fundira, said the new hunting restrictions would hit earnings from hunting, which generated $45 million in 2014.
Jericho was an older lion and was weaker than Cecil. Jericho is believed to be looking after Cecil’s cubs along with his own.
Advertisement
The landowner violated the act because he ‘allowed a hunt to be conducted without a quota and necessary permit, ‘ Muchinguri said.
