Reports have surfaced about the tragic killing of a lion named Blondie by trophy hunters. This lion was under the observation of researchers, having been fitted with a GPS collar just recently.
Blondie, who was five years old, had been equipped with the collar by the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford. This collar, funded by Africa Geographic, was intended to monitor free-roaming lions, mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, and aid in long-term conservation efforts.
Blondie lived in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, located in South Africa, where hunting is prohibited within its boundaries. However, it appears that Blondie was lured out of the park by hunters, leading to his death, despite wearing a research collar and being below the minimum hunting age of six. This incident has sparked outrage among those who advocate for a complete ban on trophy hunting.
The hunters involved in Blondie’s killing claim their actions were ‘ethical’ and supported by the necessary permits. It is alleged that the trophy hunter responsible paid $46,000 for the hunt.
A distressing image believed to depict Blondie’s remains, accompanied by three men kneeling beside it, was circulated on social media. The photo, featuring a Black man and two white men in camouflage attire, was posted on Facebook but later taken down, according to The Sun.
Simon Espley, head of Africa Geographic, expressed his distress over Blondie’s death.
“As the sponsor of Blondie’s research collar, we are dismayed and angered by this development,” he stated.
“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 [Zimbabwe Professional Guides Association] regularly espouses and the repeated claims that trophy hunters only target old, non-breeding males.”
The ZPGA’s mission is to encourage ‘honourable and sportsmanlike conduct generally in the practice of the profession and sport hunting’, aiming to uphold high standards of professionalism in safari hunting and guiding.
The loss of Blondie is anticipated to have a severe impact on his pride, which consists of three females and 10 cubs. Without Blondie’s protection, his youngest offspring are now at risk from rival males.
The lion was last observed alive in June 2025 before reportedly being lured over several weeks to an area where hunting is permitted.
Since Blondie’s death, tributes have poured in.
Roar Wildlife News commented (via The Sun): “Another beloved lion, another shattered pride, another trophy just for someone’s wall.
“Blondie was a striking lion and one of Hwange’s most recognisable figures and was gunned down in the prime of his life after being lured out from a safe prohibited hunting area.
“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.”
Mike Blignaut, co-owner of Victoria Falls Safari Services, maintains that the hunt was ‘legal and conducted ethically’, as asserted by the Professional Hunter involved in the hunt.
Many have taken to social media to voice their sorrow over Blondie’s death, with some condemning those responsible for the shooting as ‘utter scumbags’.