Zimbabwe’s wildlife authorities on Saturday announced restrictions on hunting around the country’s biggest game reserve following the killing of a much-loved lion by a US dentist.
“Hunting of lions, leopards and elephant in areas outside of Hwange National Park has been suspended with immediate effect,” Edson Chidziya, head of Zimbabwe’s parks and wildlife authority Zimparks, said in a statement.
The parks body also suspended hunting with bows and arrows, except with permission from the authority’s head.
“All such hunts will only be conducted if confirmed and authorized in writing by the Director-General of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, and only if accompanied by parks staff,” Chidziya said.
The clampdown follows an international furore over the killing of Cecil the lion, a favourite with international tourists, who was shot with a bow and arrow by Walter Palmer outside Hwange Park in early July.