Cecil: The Legacy of a King
National Geographic WILD — Peter Lamberti, Lion Mountain Media
The story of Cecil, his pride and the lions that came after him in Hwange.
Deceased
Cecil
Also known as The Mangisihole Boy · Africa’s Most Famous Lion
c. 2002 – 2 July 2015
Born in an unrecorded place
Cecil was a male lion of Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe and, by the time of his death, the most famous wild lion in the world. With his dark, black-fringed mane and his calm acceptance of safari vehicles, which he would allow within about ten metres, he became the park’s best-loved sight and was photographed by thousands of visitors. From 2008 he was followed with a GPS collar by the Hwange Lion Research Project of Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), and his movements and rivalries taught researchers a great deal about the hidden lives of lions.
He first appeared in May 2008 at Mangisihole Pan on the park’s south-eastern edge, a young nomad of about five travelling with his brother. Later that year the two took the Ngweshla pride, but in June 2009 his brother was killed in a fight with the Askari coalition, and Cecil was forced east. There he became the male of the Backpans pride for about three years, until two males, Bhubesi and Bush, drove him out in 2013. He then did something unusual: he joined forces with Jericho, an unrelated male from the very coalition that had killed his brother. Together they ruled the Ngweshla pride and, from late 2014, the Somadada pride as well.
On the night of 1 July 2015 Cecil was lured out of the park with bait to Antoinette Farm, about a kilometre beyond the unfenced boundary, and wounded with an arrow by Walter Palmer, an American dentist on a paid hunt guided by Zimbabwean professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst. He was killed with a second arrow 10 to 12 hours later, at about 13 years old. His skin and head were taken and his collar removed. When the story broke later that month, the reaction was enormous, and the debate it started changed laws, airline policies and the way the world talks about trophy hunting.
~7Years of reign
~13Age at death
~6Lionesses in his prides
2Males in his coalition
Profile
Identity
- Name
- Cecil
- Nicknames
- One of the Mangisihole Boys; Africa’s most famous lion
- Origin of the name
- Named by the Oxford research team in 2008For the “Englishman’s waterhole” where he was first seen, according to WildCRU; most media say after Cecil Rhodes
- Sex
- Male
- Distinguishing features
- Large male with a dark, black-fringed mane; wore a GPS research collarVery relaxed around vehicles, which made him easy to watch and photograph
- Weight
- Information not availableFor reference, adult male lions usually weigh 150–260 kg
Birth & Family
- Born
- c. 2002WildCRU described him as about five years old in May 2008, which would suggest 2003
- Birthplace
- Information not availableNot known. He was first recorded as a young nomad at Mangisihole Pan, on the south-eastern edge of Hwange National Park, in May 2008
- Birth pride
- Information not availableNot known
- Father
- Information not available
- Mother
- Information not available
- Siblings
- One brother, killed in June 2009Named Leander in news reports, after Sir Leander Starr Jameson; the research team does not name him
Reign
- Pride king
- Yes, pride male of three prides over his life
- Prides ruled
- Ngweshla (late 2008 – 2009), Backpans (2009 – 2013), Ngweshla again (2013 – 2015) and Somadada (from late 2014)
- Pride size
- About 6 lionesses in two prides (2015)Reports of a pride of up to 22 lions include cubs
- Reign
- About 6½ years (late 2008 – July 2015)In three separate periods
- Ruled with
- His brother (2008 – 2009); Jericho (2013 – 2015)
- Coalition
- Cecil & Jericho
- Home range
- Eastern and south-eastern Hwange National Park, including the Ngweshla, Linkwasha, Somalisa and Kennedy areasHis range reached just beyond the park’s unfenced eastern boundary
- Territory size
- Information not available
Death
- Died
- 2 July 2015Wounded late on the night of 1 July and killed the next morning
- Age at death
- About 13 yearsSome sources say 12–13
- Cause of death
- Killed by a trophy hunter with a bow and arrowLured out of the park with bait; Zimbabwe’s parks authority said the area had no lion quota
- Place of death
- Antoinette Farm, Gwaai Intensive Conservation Area, Hwange District, ZimbabweAbout a kilometre outside the eastern boundary of Hwange National Park
- Burial
- NoneHe was skinned and his head taken; his headless remains, already eaten by vultures, were later found by investigators
Names & Meanings
CecilName
Given by the Oxford research team when he was collared in 2008. WildCRU says it chose a typically English name because he was first recorded at Mangisihole Pan, “the waterhole of the Englishman”. Most news reports say he was named after Cecil Rhodes, the British colonialist after whom Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, was named.
The Mangisihole BoysShared nickname
The research team’s name for Cecil and his brother when they first appeared at Mangisihole Pan in 2008.
Africa’s most famous lionTitle
Used by the media after his death, when his story was reported around the world.
Family & Lineage
UnknownFatherCecil arrived in Hwange as a young nomad, so his father has never been identified.
UnknownMotherCecil arrived in Hwange as a young nomad, so his mother has never been identified.
The Mangisihole BoyCecilc. 2002 – 2015
BrotherLeanderThe name used in news reports. Took the Ngweshla pride with Cecil in 2008 and was killed by the Askari coalition in June 2009.
Coalition partnerJerichoNot related. Once one of the Askaris who fought Cecil’s brother, he became Cecil’s partner in 2013. Died of natural causes in October 2016.View record →SonXandaCollared by Oxford researchers. Legally shot by a trophy hunter just outside the park on 7 July 2017, aged six, leaving three lionesses and seven cubs.View record →
OffspringCubs of the Backpans prideHe raised several groups of cubs as the Backpans pride male between 2009 and 2013.
OffspringCubs of 2015He left young cubs in the Ngweshla pride when he died. Jericho was as likely as Cecil to have fathered some of them.
Life Story
- c. 2002
Born; where, and into which pride, is not known.
- May 2008
Seen for the first time by Oxford researchers at Mangisihole Pan, on the south-eastern edge of Hwange National Park: two nomadic males about five years old, soon nicknamed the Mangisihole Boys.
- Late 2008
The brothers drove out the Ngweshla pride male, known to researchers as Ugly, and killed his three cubs. Andrew Loveridge darted the larger brother and fitted him with a GPS collar, and he was named Cecil.
- June 2009
His brother was killed in a boundary fight with the Askari coalition. Their leader Mpofu, the father of Jericho, Judah and Job, was mortally wounded and died soon afterwards. Cecil, alone, retreated east.
- 2009 – 2013
Became the male of the Backpans pride, which had no male, in the far east of the park, and raised several groups of cubs there.
- 2013
Driven out by two males, Bhubesi and Bush. As he fled he met Jericho, whose brothers had been shot by trophy hunters, and the former enemies formed a coalition.
- 2013 – 2015
With Jericho, held the Ngweshla pride and, from late 2014, the Somadada pride. Both lions became favourites of the safari lodges in the east of the park.
- 1 July 2015
Lured by bait to Antoinette Farm, just outside the park, and wounded with an arrow by Walter Palmer between about 9 and 11 at night.
- 2 July 2015
Tracked and killed with a second arrow 10 to 12 hours later, less than 250 metres from where he was first shot. He was skinned and beheaded and his collar was taken.
- Late July 2015
News of his death spread around the world. Donations to Oxford’s WildCRU poured in, and more than 13,000 donors gave over £780,000.
- 1 August 2015
Zimbabwe suspended lion, leopard and elephant hunting and all bow-hunting around Hwange. The ban was lifted after ten days.
- December 2015
The US Fish and Wildlife Service gave lions new protection under the Endangered Species Act, a step widely linked to the outcry over Cecil.
- October 2016
Jericho died of natural causes in his territory at about 12½.
- November 2016
A Zimbabwean court dropped the charges against hunter Theo Bronkhorst. Walter Palmer was never charged.
- 7 July 2017
His son Xanda was legally shot by a trophy hunter just outside the park, aged six.
Legend & Truth
Was Jericho his brother?
No. Many reports called Jericho Cecil’s brother, but the two were unrelated. Cecil’s real brother was killed in 2009, and Jericho belonged to the coalition that fought him. Years later the two old rivals became partners.
Why “Cecil”?
Most news stories say he was named after Cecil Rhodes. The Oxford team that named him explained that it chose an English name because he was first seen at Mangisihole Pan, “the waterhole of the Englishman”. The two stories are not necessarily in conflict, but the research team’s version is the first-hand one.
Did Jericho adopt his cubs?
Soon after Cecil’s death it was widely reported that Jericho had taken over the pride and was protecting Cecil’s cubs. Researcher Brent Stapelkamp later described that protection as passive, and a safari company reported that Jericho stayed mainly in the Kennedy area with a young lioness while Cecil’s lionesses moved their cubs away from new males. The truth seems to lie in between.
Jericho was not killed by rivals
Some websites say younger males killed Jericho a year after Cecil. The Hwange Lion Research Project found his body in October 2016 with no sign of wounds, gunshot or snare, and concluded that he died of natural causes at about 12½.
The fallen rival: Mpofu or Mposu?
The old male who fought Cecil and his brother in 2009 is called Mpofu by WildCRU and Mposu in some news reports. Some reports say park rangers put him down after the fight; WildCRU says only that he was mortally wounded and died soon afterwards, aged twelve.
Photographs
Photograph coming soon
Photograph coming soon
Photograph coming soon
Film
The film of The Mangisihole Boy’s life is coming soon
Animation
An animated story of The Mangisihole Boy’s life is coming soon
Documentaries & Features
Cecil: The Lion and the Dentist
Channel 4
The life and death of Cecil and the hunt that killed him.
Link: Born Free’s responseView
Lion Hearted: The Life and Death of Cecil & the Future of Africa’s Iconic Cats
Andrew Loveridge — Regan Arts
The scientist who collared Cecil tells his life story and pieces together his last hours from collar data and local testimony.
Link: excerptView
Cecil’s Pride: The True Story of a Lion King
Craig, Juliana & Isabella Hatkoff — Scholastic
Cecil’s life and his partnership with Jericho, told for young readers with photographs by researcher Brent Stapelkamp.
Cecil the lion at Zimbabwe’s Hwange national park
The Guardian — Bryan Orford
Footage of Cecil filmed by a safari guide in Hwange.
Cecil – Africa’s Biggest Lion
YouTube
Footage of Cecil filmed in Hwange the year before his death.
Sources
- WildCRU — Cecil’s story (Andrew Loveridge & David Macdonald)
- Wikipedia — Killing of Cecil the lion
- National Geographic — An Inside Look at Cecil the Lion’s Final Hours
- Victoria Falls Guide — Interview with Brent Stapelkamp
- Gulf News — The brutal and bloody end of Cecil
- University of Oxford — Cecil the lion donations
- IOL — Jericho dies
- NPR — Xanda, son of Cecil, also killed
- African Bush Camps — Cecil’s Pride
Where sources disagree, the most widely reported figure is shown, with other reports noted beneath it.