1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov August 7, 2015Status of the African Lion and Sport HuntingThe Killing of Cecil the Lion An American citizen was accused of illegally killing a popular lion named Cecil near the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe in July 2015. The citizen reportedly paid some $50,000 to
2、conduct the hunt. The hunt reportedly was illegal because the owner of the land on which the lion was killed did not have a quota to hunt a lion and the local hunting guide did not have an appropriate permit. Zimbabwean authorities are seeking to extradite the U.S. citizen to face charges associated
3、 with funding an illegal hunt and have confiscated the lions severed head (i.e., the trophy). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is conducting an investigation into the incident. The incident has stimulated debate on sport hunting and raised questions about the relative importance of sport hun
4、ting versus other threats to the species. Further, it has raised questions about the status of the African lion under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; P.L. 93-205). Some in Congress cite this incident to contend that protections for the African lion should be enhanced in U.S. conservation laws. The