There is a glimmer of hope for the survival of Cecil the lion’s cubs.
After Cecil the lion was shot dead by American dentists Walt Palmer earlier this month there had been fears that a rival male lion would kill them.
But researchers at Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Unit have said the lion’s brother Jericho has started protecting the cubs – raising hopes of their survival.
Often male lions will kill the cubs of other male lions so they can father their own offspring with females in the pride.
David MacDonald, a project leader the the conservation unit, said: ‘The natural law in lion society is that when a male dies and his weakened coalition is usurped, the new incoming males kill their predecessors’ cubs. This may not happen because Cecil’s brother is still holding the fort.’
Previously he had warned that the death of Cecil the lion would cause ‘a cascade of other deaths.’
The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force confirmed that Cecil’s brother Jericho had taken over safeguarding the cubs and that for now they were safe.
Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the group, said: ‘Everything is fine, Jericho has taken over the pride and all the cubs are safe.’
If the pride was going to be taken over by a rival lion, it would have happened by now, he added.
