Famous lion lured away and shot dead by trophy hunters in £35k kill

Warning: this article contains discussion of animal cruelty and hunting that some readers may find distressing

Cruel trophy hunters reportedly stumped up tens of thousands of pounds to kill a lion which was beloved around the world.

Experts fear the pride which Blondie led could now be in peril after its leader was horrifically shot dead in South Africa last month, according to reports.

The big cat - who was just five years and three months old - had become something of a celebrity before his tragic death at the end of last month, with tourists from around the globe taking snaps of him.

Boffins from Oxford University had fitted Blondie with a GPS collar just three months ago, which they hoped would allow experts to track his progress for years to come.

Experts who had been studying the lion's movements since April this year have been left appalled by the actions of the trophy hunters.

The boss of Africa Geographic, the firm that sponsored the collar fitted by Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), said the situation proves 'no lion is safe'.

"As the sponsor of Blondie’s research collar, we are dismayed and angered by this development," CEO Simon Espley said.

"That Blondie’s prominent collar did not prevent him from being offered to a hunting client, confirms the stark reality that no lion is safe from trophy-hunting guns.

"He was a breeding male in his prime, making a mockery of the ethics that the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association (ZPGA) regularly espouses and the repeated claims that trophy hunters only target old, non-breeding males."

Prior to his death, Blondie had taken charge of a pride of three adult females and ten cubs - who are all said to have been following right behind him as hunters led him astray.

Reports claim that he was lured away from the safety of Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, which spans across 14,650 square kilometers, with chunks of rotting meat.

He is believed to have then followed the breadcrumb trail, which guided him outside the bounds of the nature reserve, before he was then shot dead by hunters.

A shocking image showing a gun-wielding bloke proudly posing beside Blondie's body was shared online, before it was later removed.

Campaign group Lion Expose, who 'investigates and exposes wildlife exploitation, abuse and corruption in Southern Africa', shared alleged details of the lion's death in a Facebook post.

It suggested that the hunters may have tried to entice Blondie with bait for up to four weeks, while explaining that it can take some people as long as two years to outsmart a lion with this trick.

The organisation also shared its thoughts on why it believes this lion in particular became a target, despite Zimbabwe's strict hunting regulations that state that lions must be at least six years old to be trophy hunted.

Hunters are instead meant to focus on taking out mature males who are no longer producing or leading a pride - not that this rule makes the practice any easier to stomach, though.

Lion Expose said: "Hunting sites use social media and scour these sites for photos of lions to advertise to their clients. So when a lion becomes widely known and famous, a target and a price is put on it.

"It is how all the famous Hwange region lions like Cecil and so many more named lions are dead because trophy hunters wanted them. And now you have the latest worldwide name of Blondie to add to those.

"The beloved Lion King leaves behind very young cubs, who are less than two months old. Blondie was under the age of six."

The gunman who took the fatal shot is reported to have paid up to £35,000 to carry out the killing, according to The Sun.

Blondie is believed to have been last seen roaming around his usual haunts in the Hwange National Park in the latter half of June, before he was killed.

The circumstances surrounding his death have been compared to those of Cecil the lion, who was slain with a bow and arrow by a man from the US who had lured him away from the national park in Zimbabwe in July 2015.

Roar Wildlife News paid tribute to Blondie as a 'striking' animal who was 'one of Hwange’s most recognisable figures'.

It said: "Another beloved lion, another shattered pride, another trophy just for someone’s wall. This is not the first time Hwange has been robbed of one of its stars.

"The world still remembers Cecil, baited and killed, under eerily similar circumstances a decade ago. The outrage then was global. Promises were made. Policies were reviewed. Lots of noises were heard.

"Yet here we are again. A living, breathing icon like Blondie is no more."

Bosses of Victoria Falls Safari Services, which reportedly organised the hunt for Blondie, insisted the hunt was 'legal and conducted ethically'.

Co-owner Mike Blignaut said last night, as per The Sun: "At this time I cannot comment as I have been advised not to by the Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association. But I will say the hunt was legal and conducted ethically."

Blondie was the last known descendant of the Somadada pride, according to Africa Geographic.

LADbible has contacted Victoria Falls Safari Services, Zimbabwe Parks And Wildlife Management Authority and Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit for comment.