This past July the Internet was plagued with posts in reference to Cecil the Lion – a lion living in Zimbabwe that had been the subject of a study by Oxford University.
The lion, affectionately named Cecil by the research team at Oxford, was illegally shot and killed by trophy-hunter and Minnesota dentist, Walter Palmer. Palmer garnered international attention and was the target of hate and death threats following the release of the story.
Palmer reportedly shot the lion with an arrow, and allowed it to suffer for approximately 40 hours before finally killing it with a rifle. The lion, an endangered animal, was not hunted for its meat or other resources but purely as a trophy. Considering the cruel nature of the killing and the dwindling number of lions due to illegal poachers, people were befittingly angry. Popular late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel became emotional, nearly to the point of tears, when calling for people to support animal rights on behalf of Cecil.
That being said, the outrage seems to be primarily stemming from North America and Europe – the people of Zimbabwe seemed completely unfazed. Godwell Nzou, doctoral student in the U.S., wrote a piece for the New York Times concerning his view of America’s reaction to the killing of Cecil, as a person who grew up in Zimbabwe. He wrote of a story from his childhood in which he shares that lions are considered dangerous beasts, and the killing of a lion was often cause for celebration, as it meant the people of the village were safe. For many Zimbabweans, culturally, wild animals have great significance based on the clan the person belongs to. Nzou finished his piece with these words:
“We Zimbabweans are left shaking our heads, wondering why Americans care more about African animals than about African people. Don’t tell us what to do with our animals when you allowed your own mountain lions to be hunted to near extinction in the eastern United States. Don’t bemoan the clear-cutting of our forests when you turned yours into concrete jungles. And please, don’t offer me condolences about Cecil unless you’re also willing to offer me condolences for villagers killed or left hungry by his brethren, by political violence, or by hunger.”
There is a trend of countries around the world viewing North Americans as caring more for animals than about our fellow people. Upon my travels to Nicaragua, locals laughed as we stopped to pet dogs on the street, and told us that it is typical of Canadians to care more for the dogs on the streets than to care for the people.
As someone who has always been an animal lover and owner, I am not suggesting that the lives of animals do not matter, or that the cruel manner in which Cecil was killed is acceptable. However, I have found it incredibly eye-opening how many people are filled with rage, posting passionately to their Facebook pages about Cecil, while our fellow humans are subject to terror attacks, natural disaster, and to preventable death by poverty. In these cases the majority of North Americans stay silent.
In Canada, according to a 2013 study by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council of Canada, the pet industry – selling toys, food, leashes, etc.– makes up to $6.5 billion each year. Meanwhile, in the Edmonton area alone, more than 100,000 people are living in poverty.
Are animal rights an important cause? Absolutely. However, owning pets, and being able to contribute to animal rights causes is a privilege most people cannot afford, if they are too busy trying to survive themselves.
Jennifer Hamilton is a local student and writer.
