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UNCERTAINTY surrounded the fate of another lion from Hwange National Park Saturday after a conservation group reported that Jericho, brother of the lion slain by American dentist Walter Palmer, had also been killed.

"It is with huge disgust and sadness that we have just been informed that Jericho, Cecil's brother has been killed at 4pm today," the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, which broke the news of Cecil's killing, said in a statement on its Facebook page.

"We are absolutely heart broken. We will update you all as soon as we have more details," the statement added.

The announcement was swiftly picked up by global media, causing consternation among animal lovers who were outraged by Palmer's killing of Zimbabwe's best-known lion, renowned for his black mane.

But the Friends of Hwange Trust urged the public to treat the ZCTF's announcement with caution.

"Please know that reports stating that Jericho - the other half of Cecil the lion's coalition - was shot today appear to be UNTRUE."

The charity admitted however it did not yet have "definite proof" of its counter claim.

Hwange park authorities were unavailable for confirmation Saturday evening.

Earlier Saturday, the parks authority announced restrictions on hunting around Hwange park, including an immediate suspension of the hunting of lions, leopards and elephants.

Palmer paid $55,000 to shoot Cecil outside Hwange park earlier this month with a bow and arrow. He and a guide then spent 40 hours tracking the wounded animal before finishing him off with a gun.

Palmer, who is being investigated by the US government over Cecil's death, has apologised and said he was misled by his guide.

WILDLIFE authorities have announced an immediate ban on the hunting of lions, leopards and elephants outside Hwange National Park in the wake of the widely condemned killing of iconic lion, Cecil early last month.

Police have since arrested one Headman Sibanda, a safari operator in the Gwayi Conservancy, in a push to plug all the loopholes that have given rise to poaching in the country.

“Hunting of lions, leopards and elephant in areas outside of Hwange National Parks has been suspended with immediate effect,” Parks and Wild Life authority director general Edison Chidziya said in a statement Saturday.

“All such hunts will only be conducted if confirmed and authorized in writing by the Director-General of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, and only if accompanied by parks staff whose costs will be met by the landowner.”

Cecil, a favourite with international tourists, was killed on July 1 this year by Walter James Palmer, an American trophy hunter who parted with US$50,000 to get him.

The 13 year-old wonder cat was lured outside the boundaries of the country’s largest game park by his killers where he was shot with a bow and arrow and left to bleed for 40 hours before being shot to death using a gun.

The incident drew widespread condemnation especially from conservationists who are opposed to the killing of animals for fun.

Likewise, parks authorities in Zimbabwe have obliged by banning the use of bows to hunt for wild creatures.

“Bow hunting has been suspended with immediate effect and no such hunting will be conducted unless it has been confirmed and authorized in writing by the Director-General of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority,” said Chidziya in an emailed statement, read on his behalf to Harare journalists on Saturday by Emmanuel Fundira President of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe.

Bow hunting, it is strongly felt, only thrills to sports hunters but is inhumane as it cripples the animal unnecessarily, allowing it to die slowly and painfully.

Chidziya said the stringent rules being introduced have been spurred by Cecil’s killing.

He added: “The Authority will not hesitate to arrest, prosecute, and ban for life any persons including professional hunters, clients and land owners who are caught on the wrong side of the law”.

Meanwhile, parks authorities quashed a rumour that emerged Saturday alleging another lion in Hwange had been killed.