Namibia: Lion Killer to Be Charged

Denver Kisting

7 May 2010

THE trophy hunter who admitted that he shot and killed a protected lion in the Sesfontein Conservancy recently might be in for a surprise when he returns to Namibia next week.

Criminal charges were laid against Keith Wright on Monday following a high-profile investigation by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism into the killing of the collared lion known as Leonardo.

The Deputy Director: Parks and Wildlife Management in the ministry, Colgar Sikopo, yesterday confirmed that the Police had opened a case of illegal hunting of a protected species.
Wright had a permit to shoot a lioness in the Anabeb Conservancy Area but had no authorisation from the Ministry to hunt a lion in the Sesfontein Conservancy Area, Ben Beytell, Director: Parks and Wildlife Management, told The Namibian last week.

Wright last week admitted that he was "the guy" who had shot Leonardo. According to him, he had "a permit for the area from the people" and that he could not see that the animal was radio-collared because of its thick mane.

The trophy hunter added that he would be out of the country for two weeks and is thus expected to return next week. Before his departure he claimed that "bad blood by somebody" was responsible for the "rubbish" allegations against him.

Sikopo added that investigations by the Ministry in conjunction with the Police were continuing.
On his website, conservationist Flip Stander writes: "Trophy hunting and the shooting of lions by local people is the major cause of mortality amongst adult and sub-adult lions. The indiscriminate selection of male lions for trophy hunting has resulted in an alarming decline in the ratio of adult males to adult females."

Stander has not been reachable by phone for the past week.

Leonardo had been collared barely a month before he was killed. The radio collars are reportedly worth N$60 000 each.

The killing of this protected lion has sparked a public outcry from animal lovers and conservationists alike.