'Some good can come from this tragedy': New York billionaire and his wife back Oxford research team that was tracking Cecil the lion in bid to save other big cats

  • Billionaire Tom Kaplan and his wife, Daphne, pledged on Friday to match all new donations made to Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Unit
  • They will match funds donated after 10am Friday - up to total of $100,000
  • Money will help researchers further their conservation work in Zimbabwe
  • [If the] death of Cecil can lead to the saving of many more lions... some good can come from tragedy,' said Mr Kaplan, a former student at Oxford
  • Some $300,000 has already been raised in wake of Cecil's July 1 killing
  • Kaplans' pledge came just hours after Zimbabwe said it would seek to extradite Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer, who shot dead famous lion

By Sophie Jane Evans For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:58 EST, 31 July 2015 | Updated: 18:15 EST, 31 July 2015

A New York City billionaire and his wife are backing the Oxford University research team that was tracking the movements of Cecil the lion before he was brutally killed by dentist Walter Palmer.

Tom Kaplan, a natural resource investor with an estimated $1billion net worth, and his spouse, Daphne, pledged on Friday to match new donations to the university's Wildlife Conservation Unit.

The philanthropists are matching funds donated after 10am EST - up to a total value of $100,000 - in a bid to help the researchers raise half a million pounds to further their work in southern Africa. 

'We have to seize this moment where we can all make a difference,' Mr Kaplan told AP. '[If the] death of Cecil can lead to the saving of many more lions, then some good can come from tragedy.'

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Tom Kaplan (pictured), a billionaire natural resource investor and his wife, Daphne, are backing the Oxford University research team that was tracking the movements of Cecil the lion before he was brutally killed by dentist Walter Palmer.
One of two donation pages set up by the university's Widlife Conservation Uni

Pledge: Tom Kaplan (left), a billionaire natural resource investor and his wife, Daphne, are backing the Oxford University research team that was tracking the movements of Cecil the lion before he was brutally killed by dentist Walter Palmer. Right, one of two donation pages set up by the university's Widlife Conservation Unit

Shot dead: The couple are matching funds donated to the team after 10am EST Friday - up to a total value of $100,000 - in a bid to help the researchers raise half a million pounds to further their work in southern Africa. Above, this is the last known photograph of Cecil the lion (seen bottom), taken by Brent Stapelkamp in May

Shot dead: The couple are matching funds donated to the team after 10am EST Friday - up to a total value of $100,000 - in a bid to help the researchers raise half a million pounds to further their work in southern Africa. Above, this is the last known photograph of Cecil the lion (seen bottom), taken by Brent Stapelkamp in May

Mr Kaplan, a former student at Oxford who made a fortune in metals, is the chairman of The Electrum Group LLC, an investment and asset management company based in New York City.

He is also the chairman of Panthera, a charity that he and his wife co-founded in 2006. The foundation is dedicated to the preservation of wild cats and their ecosystems around the world.

The Kaplans' pledge came on Friday just hours after Zimbabwe said it would seek to extradite Mr Palmer, who paid $55,000 to lure Cecil out the country's Hwange National Park and then kill him.

Mr Palmer, a dentist in Minnesota, remains in hiding amid a global outpouring of anger after he used a bow and arrow to shoot dead Cecil, who was a popular draw for tourists at the national park.

The death of the protected and prized lion on July 1 - over which two people have been arrested - has sparked a global debate as to how to best safeguard the dwindling number of big cats.

Oxford's WildCRU, one of the world's top university research groups, tracks the movements of hundreds of lions and runs an anti-poaching team. It also works with local farmers to help them live alongside the lions. The team had followed Cecil's movements in minute detail since 2008. 

Since Cecil's shooting, WildCRU has been swamped by donations. Some $300,000 has already been raised - with hopes that this may increase to $500,000 following the Kaplans' pledge.

Generous: New York-based Mr Kaplan, a former student at Oxford who made a fortune in metals, is the chairman of The Electrum Group LLC, an investment and asset management company. Above, the billionaire is pictured with his fully restored Vickers Supermarine Spitfire, which he auctioned off earlier this month

Generous: New York-based Mr Kaplan, a former student at Oxford who made a fortune in metals, is the chairman of The Electrum Group LLC, an investment and asset management company. Above, the billionaire is pictured with his fully restored Vickers Supermarine Spitfire, which he auctioned off earlier this month

Hunter: The Kaplans' pledge came on Friday just hours after Zimbabwe said it would seek to extradite Mr Palmer (pictured, left, with another lion), who paid $55,000 to hunt down Cecil in a Zimbabwe national park

Hunter: The Kaplans' pledge came on Friday just hours after Zimbabwe said it would seek to extradite Mr Palmer (pictured, left, with another lion), who paid $55,000 to hunt down Cecil in a Zimbabwe national park

Mr Palmer remains in hiding amid a global outpouring of anger after he used a bow and arrow to shoot dead Cecil, a popular draw for tourists at the national park
Mr Palmer is a dentist in Minnesota

Dentist: Mr Palmer (pictured, left and right), a dentist in Minnesota, remains in hiding amid a global outpouring of anger after he used a bow and arrow to shoot dead Cecil, a popular draw for tourists at the national park

Director of WildCRU, Professor David Macdonald, told ITV that he and his colleague, Andy Loveridge, had been 'overwhelmed and inspired' by the efforts of donors from across the globe.

'Overnight, thousands of donors brought the total of the Cecil Appeal to £300,000,' he said. 

'This is stupendous.

'Tom Kaplan and his wife Daphne, who are loyal supporters of WildCRU’s work, have pledged $100,000 to match, pound for pound, dollar for dollar, each donation that comes in from this minute as a stimulus to reaching our goal of raising a total of £500,000 to support our research.

'We are grateful beyond measure for their generosity, and that of every single one of our donors.'

This is the second generous gesture Mr Kaplan has made this month after he gifted a restored Vickers Supermarine Spitfire to the Imperial War Museum in Duxford - and auctioned off another.

The billionaire donated most of the money raised at the auction to the conservation of big cats. 

Angry signs: Protesters place signs on the doors of Mr Palmer's River Bluff Dental Clinico on Wednesday

Angry signs: Protesters place signs on the doors of Mr Palmer's River Bluff Dental Clinico on Wednesday

Protesting: Kristen Hall leads a group of protestors from Animal Rights Coalition and Minnesota Animal Liberation gathered in front of Mr Palmer's dental practice in Bloomington, Minnesota, on Wednesday

Protesting: Kristen Hall leads a group of protestors from Animal Rights Coalition and Minnesota Animal Liberation gathered in front of Mr Palmer's dental practice in Bloomington, Minnesota, on Wednesday

Hunter: Mr Palmer (pictured), 55, and his wife, Tonette, 56, fled their five-bedroom, $1 million home in the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie this week as the news that Mr Palmer was behind Cecil's killing spread

Hunter: Mr Palmer (pictured), 55, and his wife, Tonette, 56, fled their five-bedroom, $1 million home in the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie this week as the news that Mr Palmer was behind Cecil's killing spread

His latest pledge follows an emotional appeal by Jimmy Kimmel, who fought back tears on his late-night show on Tuesday as he eviscerated the Minneapolis dentist who killed Cecil the lion.

Clearly furious, Kimmel, who is not a noted animal rights activist, lashed out at Mr Palmer and questioned the big-game hunter's virility, drawing peals of laughter and cheers from the audience.

'The big question is: why are you shooting a lion in the first place? I'm honestly curious to know why a human being would feel compelled to do that. How is that fun?’ he wondered aloud.

'Is it that difficult for you to get an erection that you need to kill things that are stronger than you?

Call for action: Zimbabwean Environment minister Oppah Muchinguri (pictured) has called for Mr Palmer to be extradited from America, claiming that the dentist shot dead Cecil the lion illegally

Call for action: Zimbabwean Environment minister Oppah Muchinguri (pictured) has called for Mr Palmer to be extradited from America, claiming that the dentist shot dead Cecil the lion illegally

'If that's the case, they have a pill for that. It works great. Just stay home and swallow it, and you save yourself a lifetime of being the most hated man in America who never advertised Jell-O pudding on television,' Kimmel added, making a clear reference to embattled comedian Bill Cosby. 

Kimmel's heartfelt speech led to an influx in donations to WildCRU, the organization said.

Mr Palmer, 55, and his wife, Tonette, 56, fled their five-bedroom, $1 million home in the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie earlier this week as the news that Mr Palmer was behind Cecil's killing spread.

The hunting fanatic has also temporarily closed his nearby dental practice, where Daily Mail Online can reveal he has a private office decorated with mounted animal heads and novelty paw-print flooring.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed on Friday that Palmer has been in touch and is cooperating with their investigation after they issued a public demand for him to call them.

The federal agency said that late on Thursday, they were voluntarily contacted by a representative of Palmer, who signaled his willingness to work with them.

The service said it 'appreciates the cooperation' but added that its investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the death of Africa's most famous lion.

Prior to contacting the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Mr Palmer had seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth to escape his worldwide notoriety. But despite the contact, he is still in hiding.

In a letter sent to his patients Wednesday, Mr Palmer refuted any suggestion of wrongdoing. 'To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted,' he wrote.

'I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt.

'I have not been contacted by authorities in Zimbabwe or in the U.S. about this situation, but will assist them in any inquiries they may have. 

FIght: Cecil the lion (right, darker mane) is pictured fighting with a male lion called Jericho in May last year

FIght: Cecil the lion (right, darker mane) is pictured fighting with a male lion called Jericho in May last year

 

 

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