Reference no: EM133645142

Assignment:

Analysis Case Study :

Walter Palmer paid $55,000 to hunt a lion. He went to Zimbabwe for the sole purpose to hunt and trophy a lion head. He later learned he had killed Cecil, a collared and monitored iconic lion from a nearby national park. His tour guides had lured the lion out of the park grounds. Outrage quickly spread when people learned what had happened. Palmer replied, "I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study, until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt."

Animal rights activists were taking issue with the killing, and Zimbabweans were puzzled because wildlife is food or a threat. Government officials considered charges to extradite Palmer, but later dropped the charges because they did not want to hurt the professional hunting business since it is a huge revenue generator in Africa.

Zimbabweans and other Africans usually welcome the wildlife killings because the wildlife is a threat to their lives. However, in other countries the act is seen as brutal and unnecessary killing.

Discussion

1. Why do you think the death of Cecil the lion sparked so much outrage on social media?

2. Has there been too much concern about this lion and not enough concern for the people of Zimbabwe?

3. Do you think trophy hunts are ethical? Do they help or threaten wildlife conservation?

4. What cultural values are in conflict in this situation? How do you account for the differences between how Westerners and Zimbabweans responded to this event?

5. How can international authorities protect African wildlife while meeting the needs and honoring the values of local residents?