'No lion is safe': Blondie the lion lured from protected research area and killed
Aug 1, 2025
A trophy hunter who legally killed a lion in Zimbabwe that was part of a study has drawn criticism from wildlife advocates.
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The killing of a lion named Blondie by a trophy hunter while it was equipped with a research
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collar is drawing criticism from wildlife advocates. It's very similar to an incident a decade ago in which Cecil the lion was killed by an American
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hunter outside the same national park in Zimbabwe. That killing also led to backlash from animal
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rights activists. Blondie was wearing a collar sponsored by Africa Geographic, a safari company
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when he was killed in late June outside of Wangi National Park, according to the company
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The collar was part of a study being conducted by Oxford University
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Officials say the trophy hunter used bait to lure Blondie out of the protected area of the park
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and into a place where hunting is permitted. In the wake of Blondie's death, a spokesperson for Zimbabwe's National Parks tells the Associated Press
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the hunter legally killed the lion and hath the necessary legal documents to do so
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Africa Geographic's CEO condemned the killing, arguing the collar should have been highly visible
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and that Blondie was a breeding male lion in his prime which hunters largely pledge not to hunt Big game enthusiasts instead say they go after older lions that are no longer breeding
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The CEO says it now appears no lion is safe. Some are also defending the hunter. A spokesperson for
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the Zimbabwe Parks Agency says funds from hunts are key to supporting conservation efforts in
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southern Africa. They also argue the collar may not have been visible as many hunts occur at night
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and says the use of bait to lure game is common among hunters. African countries also differ in
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regulations for lion hunting. Kenya outlaws the practice while Zimbabwe and South Africa allow it
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Botswana recently lifted its ban on hunting. Meanwhile, officials have declined to identify
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the hunter. Following the death of Cecil in 2015, the hunter who killed him, an American dentist saw
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much outrage directed toward him. He also lured Cecil out of the very same national park in
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Zimbabwe, and that lion was also part of an Oxford University study. For more on this story
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download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey
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