The Blondie lion, the subject of a conservation study, has been killed by trophy hunters in Zimbabwe, sparking strong reactions from conservation organizations.

Blondie the lion, a dominant five-year-old male, was killed by trophy hunters near Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. He was wearing a collar for conservation studies and his death sparked outrage, including from Africa Geographic, which condemned the hunt as unethical. Although the hunt was deemed legal, critics point out that Blondie was an important breeding male. The Born Free organization compared the incident to the killing of Cecil the lion in 2015, calling for a ban on trophy hunting.