A famous old lion has been lured away from the sanctuary of his game reserve and shot dead by a bloodthirsty trophy hunter.
Tragic Blondie was fitted with a GPS collar by research experts from Oxford University just three months ago.
They hoped to track him and his pride of 10 cubs and three adult females as part of a long-term study.
But campaigners say he was coaxed into the crosshairs for a trophy hunter who shelled out at least £35,000 for the sickening kill.
Blondie was fed chunks of rotting meat from the back of a truck to slowly entice him away from the protection of the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, it has been claimed.
Africa Geographic boss Simon Espley said: “As the sponsor of Blondie’s research collar, we are dismayed and angered by this development.
“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 repeated claims that trophy hunters only target old, non-breeding males.”
They added that trophy hunters can often stalk a lion for up to two years before landing a fatal blow.
“Hunting sites use social media and scour these sites for photos of lions to advertise to their clients,” they continued.
“So when a lion becomes widely known and famous, a target and a price is put on it.
“And now you have the latest worldwide name of Blondie to add to those.”
