The death of Cecil the lion, the famous feline that captivated every visitor at Hwange National Park, has shocked the nation and the world. Furthermore, Cecil's death revealed a huge issue in the moral code of certain members of society.
Currently there are 785 species throughout the world that are extinct, yet people continue to hunt endangered species for sport. Dr. Walter Palmer, dentist and recent lion slayer, just recently embarked on a trip to Zimbabwe where he allegedly paid $50,000 to murder the majestic Cecil. He claimed to have not known that the hunt was illegal, but I find this ignorance difficult to believe.
The reactions from the public have been more than evident of the cruelty wild game hunting clearly expresses. Protesters and animal activists have been parading about Dr. Palmer's dental practice, displaying signs with phrases like, "R.I.P. Cecil" and "End Trophy Hunting, Prosecute Poachers." The sentiments felt towards the subject further show how barbaric and simply depressing the hunting of big game, and all creatures for that matter, can be.
It is clear to me that poachers and big game hunters need to re-evaluate their bloody hobby and realize how it affects both the environments of animal life and human life alike. If killing a well-known and beloved animal gives you some sort of pleasure, then you possibly need to do some much-needed soul searching to find out what is wrong with your morals. Before grocery stores and silverware, Neanderthals hunted wild game. Why? Because that was the only way they could survive. But now we have Whole Foods and thousands of other places where we can acquire food without having to take the life of a beautiful living being. Don't you think it's about time poaching ceases to exist?
