Ten years have passed since Cecil the lion was legally hunted near Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park. While global attention focused intensely on this event, the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) highlights the importance of understanding trophy hunting, defined as hunting abroad, within its scientific, ecological, and human contexts.

Recent articles marking Cecil’s tenth anniversary, notably Born Free’s article “Ten Years Since Cecil: What Next for Trophy Hunting?” and the Daily Maverick’s piece “Ten years after Cecil the lion’s death, let’s mourn human victims of wildlife attacks,” offer contrasting perspectives on trophy hunting and conservation.

Born Free claims that trophy hunting is inherently detrimental to conservation efforts and calls for its ban. The CIC strongly disagrees with Born Free’s portrayal, emphasizing that such narratives overlook crucial ecological facts and undermine legitimate conservation practices.

Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), highlights critical ecological and scientific realities frequently absent from popular discourse. “Cecil was an old lion who had already produced several cubs. Older male lions naturally become displaced from their prides by younger males. At this stage, solitary lions often prey on weaker targets such as cattle and become problem animals,” explains Farawo.

Rose Mandisodza – Chikerema, National Carnivore Coordinator for ZimParks, clarifies important details surrounding Cecil’s hunt. “Cecil was legally hunted within Zimbabwe’s approved hunting quotas. His GPS research collar indicated he was part of ongoing research but did not legally exempt him from hunting. WildCRU’s research specifically aimed at understanding the impact and role of trophy hunting on lion populations.”

Zimbabwe is a country that subscribes to the principle of sustainable use and hunting is an acceptable conservation tool. It is also vital to recognize that properly managed trophy hunting is an essential conservation tool, with robust policy and regulation in Zimbabwe and under international frameworks such as CITES. Revenue generated through regulated trophy hunting provides critical resources for conservation programmes, anti-poaching units, law enforcement, habitat protection and management, and sustaining community livelihoods.

The Daily Maverick recently highlighted another significant and often overlooked aspect of this discussion: the human victims of wildlife conflicts. Communities living alongside wildlife frequently face severe hardships, from loss of human life to livestock predation and significant economic harm. Their experiences and challenges must be fully recognised and integrated into global conservation strategies.

The CIC strongly advocates a balanced approach to conservation, emphasizing coexistence strategies that ensure communities benefit directly from sustainable wildlife management. Trophy hunting abroad, when carefully managed and science-based, is a crucial part of this strategy. Removing this tool and value for wildlife without adequate alternatives could seriously undermine conservation and negatively impact wildlife and communities.

Ten years after Cecil, we call on policymakers, media, conservationists, and the broader public to embrace the full range of conservation realities. It is critical to move beyond emotional narratives and fully understand the science, ecology, and human dimensions at play. Calls by organisations such as Born Free for blanket bans on trophy hunting abroad risk undermining proven conservation successes and community support.

We must move forward thoughtfully, acknowledging the realities of conservation practice and ensuring local communities and wildlife both thrive. Effective wildlife management and community-based conservation initiatives are vital to safeguarding our natural heritage for generations to come.

References

• Daily Maverick, “Ten years after Cecil the lion’s death, let’s mourn human victims of wildlife attacks” (2 July 2025). dailymaverick.co.za
• Born Free Foundation, “Ten Years Since Cecil: What Next for Trophy Hunting?” (2025). bornfree.org.uk
• Personal communications: Tinashe Farawo, Spokesperson, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks); Rose Mandisodza- Chikerema, National Carnivore Coordinator, ZimParks Chief Ecologist Terrestrial