With all the media attention about a wild lion given a name by tourists, much like wolves in Yellowstone National Park wolves that were hunted outside the park boundaries, the SCI has suspended the membership of the hunter in an official release:
Washington, D.C. – Safari Club International (SCI) supports a full and thorough investigation of the circumstances surrounding the death of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe. SCI has imposed immediate emergency membership suspensions of both the involved hunter and his guide/professional hunter, and they will remain in place pending the outcome of an investigation.
Safari Club International condemns unlawful and unethical hunting practices. SCI supports only legal hunting practices and those who comply with all applicable hunting rules and regulations, and SCI believes that those who intentionally take wildlife illegally should be prosecuted and punished to the maximum extent allowed by law.
Safari Club International is a 501(c)4 corporation, has approximately 47,000 members worldwide, many of whom also hunt worldwide. Safari Club’s missions include the conservation of wildlife, protection of the hunter’s rights, and education of the public concerning hunting and its use as a conservation and management tool.
