What do Cecil, the African Lion, and Echo, the first Gray Wolf to visit Grand Canyon in 70 years, have in common? Both were
-protected by law
-wearing radio collars
-illegally shot after setting paw beyond national park protection
While it remains to be seen if Cecil's killer will face justice, Echo's slayer will not.
Even though protected by the Endangered Species Act, American threatened and endangered species can be killed at will due to the McKittrick policy. This Justice Department policy bars prosecution if the killers say they thought the animal they killed was a different species. Echo's killer said he thought she was a coyote. Case closed.
Ironic that a lion killed in a country 9,000 miles distant generates more action from our government than endangered species in our own.