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| After Cecil the Lion’s Killing, U.S. and U.N. Look to Take Action | After Cecil the Lion’s Killing, U.S. and U.N. Look to Take Action |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said on Thursday that it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing of Cecil, a lion that is thought to have been lured out of its protected habitat in Zimbabwe this month and killed by Walter J. Palmer, an American dentist and hunter. | The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said on Thursday that it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing of Cecil, a lion that is thought to have been lured out of its protected habitat in Zimbabwe this month and killed by Walter J. Palmer, an American dentist and hunter. |
| “That investigation will take us wherever the facts lead,” said Edward Grace, a deputy chief of law enforcement at the agency. “At this point in time, however, multiple efforts to contact Dr. Walter Palmer have been unsuccessful.” | “That investigation will take us wherever the facts lead,” said Edward Grace, a deputy chief of law enforcement at the agency. “At this point in time, however, multiple efforts to contact Dr. Walter Palmer have been unsuccessful.” |
| The killing of Cecil became a global subject of outrage this week, and Dr. Palmer, who has said that he believed the killing of the animal was legal, has been the target of a vociferous Internet shaming campaign. | The killing of Cecil became a global subject of outrage this week, and Dr. Palmer, who has said that he believed the killing of the animal was legal, has been the target of a vociferous Internet shaming campaign. |
| The lion, well known to those who visited Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe and by many locals, was killed and beheaded — the head intended as a trophy for the hunter. | The lion, well known to those who visited Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe and by many locals, was killed and beheaded — the head intended as a trophy for the hunter. |
| Wildlife officials and conservationists say some big-game hunters in search of exotic trophies and poachers who brazenly cross into protected parks and other habitats to slice the tusks off elephants and chop the horns off rhinoceroses, leaving the animals to die, are causing a global wildlife crisis. | |
| Citing what it called alarming trends in illicit hunting and poaching of animals, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution on Thursday that supporters say would be the start of a global effort to tackle illegal poaching and trafficking of wildlife. | Citing what it called alarming trends in illicit hunting and poaching of animals, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution on Thursday that supporters say would be the start of a global effort to tackle illegal poaching and trafficking of wildlife. |
| In an address to the General Assembly, Harald Braun, the permanent representative of Germany to the United Nations, said that illicit hunting had become a pressing global issue. He described the poaching of an elephant for its tusks near a national park in South Africa this week, and the killings of over 700 rhinoceroses for their horns in South Africa so far this year. | In an address to the General Assembly, Harald Braun, the permanent representative of Germany to the United Nations, said that illicit hunting had become a pressing global issue. He described the poaching of an elephant for its tusks near a national park in South Africa this week, and the killings of over 700 rhinoceroses for their horns in South Africa so far this year. |
| “The time to act is now,” Mr. Braun said. “No one country, region or agency working alone will be able to succeed.” | “The time to act is now,” Mr. Braun said. “No one country, region or agency working alone will be able to succeed.” |
| United Nations officials said that the resolution would foster cooperation among countries to fight money laundering, and that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon would recommend actions based on the resolution next year. | United Nations officials said that the resolution would foster cooperation among countries to fight money laundering, and that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon would recommend actions based on the resolution next year. |
| Public attention to poaching, often carried out by criminal gangs and cartels seeking the value of ivory and horns, has increased, officials say. This week, in addition to the elephant killed around Kruger National Park in South Africa, five elephants — an adult female and four of her calves — were killed for their tusks at a park in Kenya. | Public attention to poaching, often carried out by criminal gangs and cartels seeking the value of ivory and horns, has increased, officials say. This week, in addition to the elephant killed around Kruger National Park in South Africa, five elephants — an adult female and four of her calves — were killed for their tusks at a park in Kenya. |
| While in Kenya last weekend, President Obama made the tightening of the ivory trade a key point of his visit. He announced changes that would effectively ban the commercial trade of African elephant ivory in the United States in an attempt to further close trading loopholes exploited by traffickers. | While in Kenya last weekend, President Obama made the tightening of the ivory trade a key point of his visit. He announced changes that would effectively ban the commercial trade of African elephant ivory in the United States in an attempt to further close trading loopholes exploited by traffickers. |
| According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, the global ivory trade drives the killing of as many as 35,000 elephants a year across the continent. In 2012, The New York Times reported on rhinoceros poaching, finding that horns were traded at $30,000 per pound, a price that rendered them more valuable than gold. The practice of illegal trafficking is estimated to bring in at least $10 billion a year, with most of the customers in Africa and North America, United Nations officials said in a statement released Thursday. | According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, the global ivory trade drives the killing of as many as 35,000 elephants a year across the continent. In 2012, The New York Times reported on rhinoceros poaching, finding that horns were traded at $30,000 per pound, a price that rendered them more valuable than gold. The practice of illegal trafficking is estimated to bring in at least $10 billion a year, with most of the customers in Africa and North America, United Nations officials said in a statement released Thursday. |
| Leigh Henry, an official at the World Wildlife Fund, said the resolution sent a “powerful message from the highest possible level” about the need to end what many feel is a growing criminal threat to wildlife. | Leigh Henry, an official at the World Wildlife Fund, said the resolution sent a “powerful message from the highest possible level” about the need to end what many feel is a growing criminal threat to wildlife. |
| Cecil had been closely watched by researchers at the University of Oxford since 2008 as part of efforts to study a decline in Africa’s lion population and to better understand the threats the animals face. | Cecil had been closely watched by researchers at the University of Oxford since 2008 as part of efforts to study a decline in Africa’s lion population and to better understand the threats the animals face. |
| David Macdonald, the founder of the university’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, recalled that a brother of Cecil’s, called Jericho, had once been ensnared by wires that are commonly used to trap lions, but said it was likely that the trap had been set by locals seeking other bushmeat. Jericho was freed from the wire. | David Macdonald, the founder of the university’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, recalled that a brother of Cecil’s, called Jericho, had once been ensnared by wires that are commonly used to trap lions, but said it was likely that the trap had been set by locals seeking other bushmeat. Jericho was freed from the wire. |
| Illegal poaching is just one threat facing the greater habitat of the lions, Professor Macdonald said. Lions who attack the cattle and sheep of local ranchers are often killed to try to protect the livestock. | Illegal poaching is just one threat facing the greater habitat of the lions, Professor Macdonald said. Lions who attack the cattle and sheep of local ranchers are often killed to try to protect the livestock. |
| Donations to Professor Macdonald’s organization, which tracks about 30 lions, have surged since Cecil’s killing was widely publicized, with donors spurred in particular by an emotional plea against hunting by the talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. | Donations to Professor Macdonald’s organization, which tracks about 30 lions, have surged since Cecil’s killing was widely publicized, with donors spurred in particular by an emotional plea against hunting by the talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. |
| “The attention on the single animal might be sort of a barometer of people’s concern,” Professor Macdonald said. “But what I would like is if people see this in the wider landscape.” | “The attention on the single animal might be sort of a barometer of people’s concern,” Professor Macdonald said. “But what I would like is if people see this in the wider landscape.” |