For most people in the southern African nation, where unemployment tops 80 percent and the economy continues to feel the after-effects of billion percent hyperinflation a decade ago, the uproar had all the hallmarks of a 'First World Problem'.

"Are you saying that all this noise is about a dead lion? Lions are killed all the time in this country," said Tryphina Kaseke, a used-clothes hawker on the streets of Harare. "What is so special about this one?"

As with many countries in Africa, in Zimbabwe big wild animals such as lions, elephants or hippos are seen either as a potential meal, or a threat to people and property that needs to be controlled or killed.

The world of Palmer, who paid $50,000 to kill 13-year-old Cecil, is a very different one from that inhabited by millions of rural Africans who are more than occasionally victims of wild animal attacks.

According to CrocBITE, a database, from January 2008 to October 2013, there were more than 460 recorded attacks by Nile crocodiles, most of them fatal. That tally is almost certainly a massive underrepresentation.

"Why are the Americans more concerned than us?" said Joseph Mabuwa, a 33-year-old father-of-two cleaning his car in the center of the capital. "We never hear them speak out when villagers are killed by lions and elephants in Hwange."

In additional to natural predators, Zimbabweans have long suffered the financial consequences of the disastrous leftist policies of Robert Mugabe and his party's iron-clad hold on power. Of course you never see any of this reported in the American news media, even one that insists it too believes that "black lives matter."

- See more at: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/ken-she ... ONf4t.dpuf

WASHINGTON - Four Democratic senators announced Friday that they will introduce a bill named for the beloved Zimbabwean lion Cecil, who was killed by an American trophy hunter earlier this month.

The Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large (CECIL) Animal Trophies Act would extend current U.S. import and export restrictions on animal trophies to include species that have been proposed for listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Current law provides protection only for species whose status on the list has been finalized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and it can take over a year for the agency to complete an assessment.

Democrats Bob Menendez (N.J.), Cory Booker (N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Ben Cardin (Md.) are co-sponsoring the legislation. Click here to read the full text of the bill. http://www.menendez.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/CECIL%20Animal%20Trophies%20Act.pdf

now this

Robert Mugabe isn't known for his subdued taste, and his million-dollar birthday was just as extravagant as people have come to expect.

The ZANU-PF leader saw in his 92nd year with the slaughter of wild animals, including an elephant, which were cooked and served to his guests.

His party took place at an exclusive lodge, spa and golf course in Victoria Falls, and it was estimated to have cost $1million (�648,000). During the celebrations, Mugabe released 91 balloons into the sky with the help of his wife, Grace.


An estimated 20,000 people attended the party at Elephant Hills resort, which was put on to celebrate the birthday of the leader who has been accused of abusing human rights and democracy.

His guests were fed a young elephant, and two buffaloes, two sables and five impalas were also donated to the president by a local landowner. He also threw in a lion and a crocodile to be stuffed as an extra gift for Mugabe. On top of this, 40 cows were offered to the president by two members of his government. A second elephant is going to be shot and given to the Victoria Falls community.

Just one of the cakes Mugabe was presented with at his low-key soiree Held a week after his birthday, the celebrations were described as "totally unethical" by wildlife conservationists, and "obscene" by members of the opposition.

"All the money that has been collected to bankroll this obscene jamboree should be immediately channelled towards rehabilitating the collapsed public hospitals, clinics and rural schools in Matebeleland North province," said MDC spokesman Obert Gutu.

Guests were also treated to a 90-minute speech, in which Mugabe decried American sanctions against Zimbabwe.

The USA "can't have it both ways," he said. "If they want to be friends then they must be friends with us in total and we allow them to have some safaris. But they can't say 'allow our people to visit, allow our people to have safaris, to kill our lions and take safari trophies to America'."