A Zimbabwean tourist guide has been killed by a lion in a pride he was tracking with tourists in Hwange National Park — the home of the country’s most prized lion Cecil, which was killed last month.
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) said professional guide Quinn Swales was on a walking safari with six foreign tourists in Camp Hwange when he was attacked by a male lion wearing a GPS collar.
Hwange National Park’s agency said in a statement: “One of the lions known as Nxaha was collared. It is further revealed that Nxaha jumped out at Quinn. All efforts to save Quinn were in vain.”
Owners of the safari camp said Mr Swales did everything to protect the tourists.
“We can confirm that Quinn did everything he could to successfully protect his guests and ensure their safety, and that no guests were injured,” Camp Hwange said.
Police are investigating the case but it was not immediately clear whether Mr Swales was armed. None of the tourists were injured.
Cases of people killed by wild animals in and around Zimbabwe’s national parks often go unreported, and in the past some lions that have killed humans have been shot.
ZPWMA spokeswoman Caroline Washaya-Moyo said no decision had been made on whether Nxaha should be shot.
Last month’s killing of Cecil, a 13-year-old rare black-maned lion, by American hunter Walter Palmer was met with global outrage and triggered a backlash against Africa’s lucrative hunting industry.
Zimbabwe has charged two men in connection with the killing of Cecil, who was fitted with a GPS collar as part of an Oxford University study.
Zimbabwe wants Mr Palmer, 55, extradited from the United States to face trial.
