Community Chat

[Drythe]

I am sitting here sobbing, so sad and sorry and angry about this.  A senseless loss.  These cubs could be raised and released in the wild, it has succeeded many times.  But there seems to be no safety net for them.  Sounds as though they are going to be left to try and scramble along behind their Moms until the big males catch them.

Right now I don't need to hear about the balance of nature, or that it was to be expected, or the process, or anything of that ilk.  I'm sad and that doesn't help me deal with it.

What an awful trail of disaster Walter Palmer created, in taking Cecil's life, the cruel way in which he did it, and in the horrific fate he built for Cecil's cubs..

Blessings  for all of them.

Roar Cecil!

[GingerPeach]

Dear @Drythe

Hugs and a shoulder to cry on.

[KatieB]

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@Drythe wrote:

I am sitting here sobbing, so sad and sorry and angry about this.  A senseless loss.  These cubs could be raised and released in the wild, it has succeeded many times.  But there seems to be no safety net for them.  Sounds as though they are going to be left to try and scramble along behind their Moms until the big males catch them.

Right now I don't need to hear about the balance of nature, or that it was to be expected, or the process, or anything of that ilk.  I'm sad and that doesn't help me deal with it.

What an awful trail of disaster Walter Palmer created, in taking Cecil's life, the cruel way in which he did it, and in the horrific fate he built for Cecil's cubs..

Blessings  for all of them.

Roar Cecil!

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Well said Drythe..  I agree 100%...   I have cried also over the cruel way Cecil was taken from his family.  I can only pray that the cubs survive..

[Drythe]

WildCRU

Cecil's cubs - David Macdonald corrects more inaccurate reporting

August 9, 2015

David Macdonald corrects more inaccurate reporting: We at the WildCRU have been puzzled to read some media accounts that one of the cubs born to the pride dominated by Cecil and Jericho had just now been killed, a report interpreted as evidence of infanticide by incoming males. Certainly, this (mis)information did not come from the WildCRU. The fact is that eight cubs were born into the pride, one of which died of natural causes months ago (and long before Cecil’s death). Some of our followers will remember that a few days ago we also had to correct a very widely reported story that Jericho had been shot illegally (at a time when our fieldteam found him eating happily from a giraffe the pride had killed). Perhaps the lesson is that readers should cautious about reports relating to our study prides, and indeed our work, unless they are confirmed by us – amidst some excellent journalism, which we salute, regrettably there has been some wildly inaccurate reporting. Our fieldteam will be striving for a visual of the pride during the coming week – as always this is difficult and time-consuming work, so we will continue the habit of speaking only when we are sure of our facts.

[Stray]

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@guatmum wrote:

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@Greenhouse wrote:

It is the balance in nature and I feel so sad about this.  The Cubs may have been rare black maned lions like Cecil.  I can't help but feel contempt for the dentist.  

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I don't think it is the balance in nature.  If nature had anything to do with it, Cecil would still be alive.  He was a strong and dominant lion.  It took man using a weapon rather than hand-to-hand combat to take him down.  If the dentist had wrestled with Cecil to try to kill him, he wouldn't have won.  So, those cubs are left vulnerable by an UNnatural act rather than a natural one.

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No Cecil's death was not the balance of nature; it was man.  But, the fate of the Cubs will be determined by the rules of nature.  I love lions and Cecil was a beautiful and rare creature who should have lived to a ripe old age. 

[Stray]

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@Drythe wrote:

WildCRU

Cecil's cubs - David Macdonald corrects more inaccurate reporting

August 9, 2015

David Macdonald corrects more inaccurate reporting: We at the WildCRU have been puzzled to read some media accounts that one of the cubs born to the pride dominated by Cecil and Jericho had just now been killed, a report interpreted as evidence of infanticide by incoming males. Certainly, this (mis)information did not come from the WildCRU. The fact is that eight cubs were born into the pride, one of which died of natural causes months ago (and long before Cecil’s death). Some of our followers will remember that a few days ago we also had to correct a very widely reported story that Jericho had been shot illegally (at a time when our fieldteam found him eating happily from a giraffe the pride had killed). Perhaps the lesson is that readers should cautious about reports relating to our study prides, and indeed our work, unless they are confirmed by us – amidst some excellent journalism, which we salute, regrettably there has been some wildly inaccurate reporting. Our fieldteam will be striving for a visual of the pride during the coming week – as always this is difficult and time-consuming work, so we will continue the habit of speaking only when we are sure of our facts.

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Thank you for posting 

[NoelSeven]

Good news, thanks, Greenhouse!

[GingerPeach]

Yes, thank you for this.

I read earlier that the researchers studying Cecil and his pride said the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF) as a source of news was "like the National Enquirer."

The Daily Mail didn't say where it got its story so I'm not casting blame on anyone or anything, but in case anyone sees any other stories in the future that might stop our hearts, see if you can find out whether the ZCTF is behind them.

[Drythe]

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@GingerPeach wrote:

Yes, thank you for this.

I read earlier that the researchers studying Cecil and his pride said the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF) as a source of news was "like the National Enquirer."

The Daily Mail didn't say where it got its story so I'm not casting blame on anyone or anything, but in case anyone sees any other stories in the future that might stop our hearts, see if you can find out whether the ZCTF is behind them.

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Homegirl,

The information I posted upstream is a statement released today by David McDonald the founder of WildCru, the group from Oxford University who started and still run the first University linked Wild Animal Conservation Program.  This, ( not ZCTF) is the group that had followed Cecil since 2008, and who are still following the pride.  I notice he did not say it was NOT true, but then he is a scientist.  But he did say they would be checking for it and that they had no information confirming it.

I'll just add ZCTF is mostly a tourist program / community work program with some wildlife components - not downing their work at all.  WildCru is strictly a Wildlife Conservation Program, they offer post graduate degrees through Oxford in that field.

H.G.  Sorry, on 2nd reading I see you DO know the difference in ZTCF and WildCru, I'm too tired to edit - please excuse, and maybe others don't know.

It has been a roller coaster day hasn't it?

Praying all the pride is safe.

[GingerPeach]

No worries, @Drythe

I know where our hearts are.

Perhaps I should have added my post was about the original Daily Mail story, but again, no worries.   I think maybe all of us might want to take Daily Mail stories with a grain of salt since it's my understanding it's somewhat of a tabloid.  But here in the US we may not all be aware of that.  I know I wasn't until just recently.