Another American suspected of illegal hunting

A government statement said a crackdown on illegal hunting since Cecil's killing had led to the arrest of safari organiser Headman Sibanda.

Sibanda's client was an American called Jan Casmir Sieski from Pennsylvania who travelled to the southern African country in April, the statement said, adding that the hunt took place on Sibanda's Railway Farm 31.

"Headman Sibanda's case is in connection with a lion that was killed by the other American in April," Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokeswoman Caroline Washaya-Moyo said. 

On Saturday, the parks authority announced restrictions on hunting around Hwange National Park, the country's biggest game reserve, where Cecil lived.  

The hunting of lions, leopards and elephants in the area around the reserve in western Zimbabwe has been suspended, as has hunting with bows and arrows -- the method used by Cecil's killer Walter Palmer -- barring special permission from the head of Zimparks.

 'Jericho still alive' 

Meanwhile, Zimparks and researchers studying the parks' lions dismissed rumours that a "brother" of Cecil, known as Jericho, had been slain at the weekend.

The lion is not a biological relation to Cecil, though their bond was one close to brotherhood.

The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, the environmentalist group that broke the news of Cecil's killing, caused consternation among animal lovers worldwide on Saturday by announcing on Facebook that Jericho - who has been looking after Cecil's cubs-- had also been killed.

But Zimparks put paid to the rumour yesterday, declaring "the lion known as Jericho is still alive and being monitored by Brent Stapelias of the Lion Research Project".

The ZCTF later retracted its report, claiming a case of "mistaken identity".

(File photo: Gallo Images)