Editors note: Due to the false alarms Daily Mail has reported we continue to label this as unconfirmed.
(unconfirmed) Daily Mail reported that one of Cecil's cubs has been killed by a rival male lion after Cecil's brother Jericho abandons the pride. Mirror and independent both claim they have confirmed and verified. While Jericho was protecting the cubs for a while, local sources confirmed the cubs had now been abandoned by Jericho.
As other lion males are starting to notice Cecil's absence, they are taking advantage of the weaken state Cecil and Jericho's pride is in. Research project leader David Macdonald said: 'The natural law in lion society is that when a male dies and his weakened coalition is usurped, the new incoming males kill their predecessors' cubs.'
Our team is in disbelief but as other news sources including Mirror and Independent is confirimg this news we truly hope that the conservation organizations like WildCRU will step in soon and rescue the cubs. before further damage is done.
A few community members started a petition to save Cecil's cubs is growing, as of the reporting the petition is at 15k.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/437/704/490/save-zimbabwes-lion-cecil-cubs/
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3190750/One-Cecil-lion-s-cubs-killed-rival-male-sparking-fears-remaining-seven-just-days-left-live-beast-slaughtered-dentist.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/cecil-lions-cub-killed-rival-6220809
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cecil-the-lion-slain-lions-cub-is-killed-by-rival-male-sparking-fresh-fears-for-the-prides-remaining-seven-cubs-survival-10447279.html
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/597122/Cecil-the-lion-cub-killed-rival-male-Zimbabwe-Hwange-park
Update: Drew Abrahamson is providing an opposite update regarding Cecil's Cubs
From Hunter to Guardian: http://justice4cecil.weebly.com/blog/the-british-prince-protecting-wildlife-used-to-be-a-big-game-hunter-before-turning-from-his-ways |