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Cecil Hunter: Killing Charges Are 'Crazy'

A professional hunter accused of failing to prevent the unlawful killing of Cecil the lion has branded the charges against him "crazy" as he arrived at court.

Theo Bronkhurst told journalists he believed he had the right hunting permit and that the charges he faced were "frivolous".

"(Hunting) is an integral part of our country and it's got to continue. If we do not use wildlife sustainably, there will be no wildlife," he said.

Wearing dark glasses inside the courthouse and accompanied by his lawyer Givemore Muvhiringi, Mr Bronkhurst said he had a good legal team and that he expected to come through the ordeal.

His defence team's request to adjourn the case until September 28 so they could prepare a defence was agreed by the magistrate.

The professional hunter allegedly lured the 13-year-old lion away from the safety of Hwange National Park with an animal carcass before Walter Palmer, a dentist from Minnesota, shot the pride leader with a high-powered bow and arrow.

Wounded, the black-maned lion managed to escape – but was allegedly tracked down and killed 40 hours later.

Bronkhorst and Mr Palmer have denied any wrongdoing, and have claimed they were unaware that Cecil had been collared and protected.

Although Mr Palmer has not been charged with any offence, there have been growing calls for the US tourist to be extradited to Zimbabwe to stand trial.

The White House is currently reviewing a petition which has been signed by more than 140,000 people.

Cecil's death has caused an international outcry, while Mr Palmer has been pilloried on social media and there have been protests at his dental practice.

He has been a trophy hunter for years, with an extensive collection of pictures showing him posing with other big game he has slaughtered.

It has been reported that Mr Palmer paid £35,000 to track and kill Cecil on 1 July.

The well-loved and well-known lion was part of a long-term conservation study being overseen by Oxford University, and he was wearing a radio collar when he was shot. It's claimed hunters removed the collar and left it in a tree.

However, the university's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) has come under scrutiny after it emerged the group's research into African wildlife is funded by companies that support "sustainable trophy hunting".

Prof David Macdonald, the unit's founder, has insisted there is no conflict of interest between its work and sources of funding.

Animal conservationists now have the multi-million dollar business of big game hunting in their sights, and Cecil's death may well make life a little safer for those he leaves behind.

Three US airlines have declared they will no longer accept the shipment of hunting trophies following the killing of Cecil.

Delta Air Lines was the first to make the announced on Monday that it would no longer carry buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhinoceros trophies, followed by American Airlines and United Airlines.