Cecil the lion's brother Jericho has been shot dead in a park in Zimbabwe.Remember Lion Cecil the animal who was shot dead by Minnesota dentist, Walter Palmer earlier this month, sparking outrage around the world.
Johnny Rodrigues, Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said in a statement: 'It is with great sadness and regret that we report that Jericho was shot dead at 4pm this afternoon. 'We have no further details but will advise as soon as we know more.' Before his death there had been concerns Jericho would not be able to hold the territory of Cecil's cubs alone and could be chased away by rival lions. Unprotected, the lionesses and cubs are now under threat and also move away or be killed.Last week Mr Rodrigues, told the Daily Mail Online Jericho was keeping the cubs safe from any rival males.When contacted on Saturday a woman who answered the phone said he was too devastated to speak. Safari operators who invested millions of dollars in the area would lose one of their biggest attractions for tourists.'They're burning fire breaks. They're grading roads. They're pumping water,' Stapelkamp said. 'They're spending a lot of money in the management of lions and then someone just draws it across the railway lines having not paid a penny in its management and shoots it and runs away with its skin. It's unacceptable.' 