Zimbabwe alleges 2ndAmerican involved in illegal lion hunt

[RogerFraser]

Zimbabwe alleges second American involved in illegal lion hunt
https://exposingthebiggame.wordpress.co ... lion-hunt/

By Peta Thornycroft,and Aislinn Laing in Johannesburg

02 Aug 2015

A second American hunter has been identified by the Zimbabwean authorities as having allegedly illegally killed a lion with a bow and arrow following the death of Cecil, the country’s famous black-maned lion, last month.

The man, named by Zimbabwe’s national parks authority as Jan Seski, a 68-year-old gynaecologist from Murrysville, Pennsylvania, is said to have killed the unidentified lion in April this year.

Pictures on social media show Dr Seski, who has a hunting license in Alaska, is an active hunter.

A 2012 post from Melorani Safaris said Dr. Seski went on a 10-day hunt and “harvested some very nice animals” including a nyala, a type of antelope, and a giraffe.

The professional hunter who accompanied him, Headman Sibanda, is said to be helping police with their enquiries, the wildlife body said.

Dr. Jan Seski

The revelation came as Zimbabwe announced a crackdown on all lion, leopard and elephant hunts in private conservancies.

• Cecil the lion’s brother ‘safe and well’ and eating a giraffe

Emmanuel Chidziya, Director General of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said in future anyone hunting Zimbabwe’s most iconic wildlife would need permission directly from him and to be accompanied by ZPWMA staff.

Up until now, around 50 lions were killed by hunters each year in Zimbabwe, some 20 fewer than were killed each year before reforms to the industry in 2013.

Louis Muller, chairman of the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association, said he anticipated a drop-off in visitors following the public outcry about the shooting dead of Cecil by American dentist Dr Walter Palmer on July 1.

He warned that that would be bad for the country’s wildlife population, whose numbers have dropped by 60 per cent since the 2000 seizures of white-owned farms which served as a haven for many animals.

“We suspect the unfortunate incident may lead to tourists cancelling bookings to our part of Zimbabwe,” he told The Telegraph.

“This will hurt the wildlife community, both professional hunters and photographic safaris which will mean less income for conservation and anti-poaching operations.”

Dr Palmer is believed to have paid $61,000 (39,000GBP) to shoot Cecil, who wore a GPS collar as part of an Oxford University study, from a hide on a private conservancy around two miles from the border of Hwange National Park.

Wildlife authorities have since alleged the hunter accompanying him and the landowner on whose property the hunt took place did not have the correct permits and that Dr Palmer financed an “illegal hunt”.

Dr. Jan Seski poses with with animals he has killed as a part of Melorani Safaris

Both the hunter, Theo Bronkhorst, and landowner, Honest Ndlovu, are facing illegal hunting charges, although Mr Ndlovu, who is understood to have close ties to the Zanu PF ruling party, has not yet appeared before a court.

On Friday Zimbabwe’s environment minister called for Dr Palmer to be extradited from the US to Zimbabwe to face similar charges, labelling him a “foreign poacher” whose aim was to tarnish Zimbabwe’s reputation.

Now, it appears the scope of the investigation may be widened to include other recent lion hunts.

The second lion declared illegally killed by the Zimbawbean wildlife authorities was at first identified as Jericho, the second adult male in Cecil’s pride who had inherited the task of looking after its young cubs.

However, researchers tracking the pride confirmed to the Telegraph that Jericho had been sighted “alive and well” at 6.15am on Sunday.

“Fat and full of giraffe which he has been feeding on for the last 24 hours,” wrote Dr Andrew Loveridge, from Oxford University’s department of zoology.

The identity of the lion that was killed is not yet known, nor is it known whether it was one collared as part of the Oxford University study. The researchers say around four of the lions they had collared have been killed on the same tract of land where Cecil died since January.

“The authority, working with other law enforcement agencies has launched a crackdown to weed out any undesirable elements,” a statement from ZPWMA said.

“To date our law enforcement agencies are following up on all found or reported cases and they have since arrested another culprit, Headman Sibanda, on allegations of breaching hunting regulations. He is currently assisting police with investigations.”

Mr Sibanda operates a hunting company from a farm he took from white farmers after land invasions began in 2000.

Prince Mupazviriwo, an environment ministry official, said Mr Sibanda had no permit for the hunt.

Meanwhile in Minnesota, where Dr Palmer runs a dental practice which he was last week forced to close down amid the furore surrounding Cecil’s death, pictures have emerged showing a country house the dentist is believed to own.

The wood-clad house, on a 650-acre site, also has an old schoolhouse in which are hung the heads of various exotic animals. Neighbours said Dr Palmer visited at least once a month to shoot deer from a series of hides dotted around the property.

[nan]

heard too on the radio
it seems lot of affairs will jump now