Big-Game Hunting and Killing Cecil

http://www.washingtonpost.com

Using information from The Washington Post, in an article titled “Walter Palmer, dentist who hunted and killed Cecil the lion, returns to work.”  I will argue that killing an animal is not right, and in this situation fines/charges should’ve been higher.  The government should be more cautious and aware of all the slaughtering people do and should put an end to useless killings.

Say you have a pet cat, and let’s say it is a rare species.  Then one day a man comes along and wants to kill it.  Would you be okay with that?  I think not.  Although nobody would want that to happen, it actually happens all the time.  Many animals get killed all the time, usually for us to be able to eat them, but also for the irrational people that believe killing an animal is fun.  An example of someone that enjoys killing rare and beloved animals is Mr. Walter Palmer.  He payed $50,000 to be able to illegally kill Cecil the lion.  Walter Palmer is a dentist that has his dental practice in Bloomington, Minn.  Finally after coming out of hiding and returning to work after six weeks, when Walter arrived at work, many people had already arrived and began to protest.  The men and women who were finally taking a stand were shouting “murderer”.  One person wrote on Facebook, “I find it so pathetic that ‘man’ has the need to hunt exotic animals… What is so appalling is the lack of respect for our natural world and its delicate eco-web… To say I am shocked and disgusted is an understatement.”  Mr. Palmer has killed over 13 rare animal species and still will not stop.  After killing the 13-year-old lion, beloved by the Hwange National Park in Matabeleland North, Zimbabawe, Mr. Palmer still stated that he wouldn’t stop doing what he loves, and for a rich man, a $3,000 fine and 1 year probation would not be able to stop him.

It’s not just Mr. Palmer that is causing harm to our beautiful nature.  The government also plays a big role in how an animal’s likelihood of surviving is.  The government protects forest preserves, but not the animals locked up for viewing in zoo’s.  In a way it seems somewhat absurd that the government is making us believe that they are keeping these animals safe for their own sake, but really it’s to have the ability to make money while creating entertainment.  I understand that while these animals are locked up, they are also being taken care of,  but nobody really knows if they are being treated right/wrong unless behind the scenes witnessing it.  People of higher power need to take their stand in this particular case, because all over the world, a great deal being in the US, has caused instances where animals have been treated with disrespect and slaughtered for the amusement and satisfaction of other people in higher places.