Cecil was an adult male lion who was run off his territory by a younger male rival who took over his pride. Proving that you are never too old to go home, Cecil teamed with another older male lion, Jericho, and went back into his territory to reclaim his pride. Having vanquished the rival, Cecil and Jericho lived in the safety and protection of the private concession in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe along with their females and their cubs. Cecil was a magnificent and elegant male, full dark mane – he proudly wore his battle scars and sired cubs with the females of his pride. In July of 2015, a conspiracy of greed and the lack of any morals resulted in a hunter and his guide luring Cecil with bait, out of his protected area and onto a concession owned by a disreputable landowner who took money to allow the men to hunt Cecil on his land. From reports we have read, these individuals found Cecil on the bait at night, blinded him with their vehicle’s spotlight, and because they were as horrible with a bow and arrow as they were with any sense of decency, shot Cecil, wounding him. Cecil was not afraid of humans or cars so it would have been completely easy for them to drive right up on him. Cecil spent the next two days bleeding from his wounds and suffering horribly. Finally the hunter and guide caught up with him, shot him, beheaded him and skinned him. It is known who these men are, they have been made to appear in court and we will post updates in the hopes that they are made to pay for this atrocity. Cecil became like a friend to all who encountered him, proud, playful – a true success story for anyone who has had to get back on their feet. The perfect example for all of us how teamwork can help us achieve our goals when we work together. This page is dedicated not only to Cecil, but to everyone who has been touched by him, whether you have had the blessing of being with Cecil in his environment with his family or are only meeting him through the sheer tragedy of his death. This page is also dedicated to every single person who is touched enough to do something about the type of hunting taking place in Africa, decimating entire species. And lastly, this page is dedicated to our children and grandchildren, for without our efforts, there will be no more Cecil’s to visit in their homes, in their world. Thank you Cecil for touching all of us. #Cecilives

Cecil

(In Memory of Cecil The Lion)

Where once you roamed a gentle soul,
With a fierce face and eyes of coal,
But ever still the beast you were,
Like a loving king in a lions fur.

You gave a smile to a world in awe
And shouted back with a gentle roar,
Then raised your Cubs on the barrow land
Where human sit and lions stand.

But now you’ve gone just time remains
And human hands show bloody stains
So goodnight Cecil and rest in peace,
You remain a king in a Golden Fleece.

~ Peter D Hehir

When will we learn that this world is not our…
RIP to the King of The Lions