Oxford University researchers studying Cecil the lion before he was shot illegally were being funded by pro-hunting companies, it emerged yesterday.

The university's Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) had been tracking the famous lion's movements by satellite since 2008.

Its founder, Professor David Macdonald, said he was 'horrified' after Cecil was shot dead in Zimbabwe on July 1.

But WildCRU's research is partially funded by the conservation group Panthera and the Dallas Safari Club, which support sustainable trophy hunting.

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Its founder, Professor David Macdonald, said he was 'horrified' after Cecil (pictured) was shot dead in Zimbabwe on July 1.

The news will embarrass the unit, which has received more than £500,000 in donations from animal lovers following Cecil's death. The money, given by many to express their distaste at the shooting, will be enough to fund WildCRU for another 18 months.

Professor Macdonald said there was no conflict of interest, adding: 'There is no risk of any donor affecting our results – we report our results regardless of whether they state any particular point of view or not. We are not an advocacy organisation.'

He added that it was up to society to decide on hunting laws, but that WildCRU was simply an 'evidence-based organisation'.

Cecil was shot by American dentist Walter Palmer in Hwange National Park, causing international outrage.

Cecil was shot by American dentist Walter Palmer in Hwange National Park, who since gone into hiding

Cecil the Lion (pictured) was well known for running up to tour trucks and was comfortable around humans

Mr Palmer is said to have paid a professional hunter £32,000 to help him track and kill the lion.

Dr Luke Hunter, executive vice president of Panthera, claimed that while 'far too many lions are being shot for sport', hunting can 'benefit lions'.

In a blog this year, he said: 'In Africa, sport hunting is the main revenue earner for huge tracts of wilderness outside national parks. Many such areas are too remote, undeveloped or disease-ridden for the average tourist.

'Hunting survives because hunters are usually more tolerant of hardship, and they pay extraordinary sums to shoot a male lion. The business requires only a handful of rifle-toting visitors to prosper which, in principle, helps protect those areas.

Mr Palmer is said to have paid a professional hunter £32,000 to help him track and kill the lion, sparking global outrage at the killing

'The presence of hunting provides African governments with the economic argument to leave safari blocks as wilderness. As unpalatable as it may be... hunting remains the most convincing model for many wild areas.'

A spokesman for the Dallas Safari Club said it 'absolutely' supported sustainable trophy hunting.

But Chris Macsween, a trustee of the conservation charity LionAid, said: 'LionAid does not believe that there is any such thing as 'sustainable trophy hunting' of vulnerable and endangered species.'

Yesterday, an African charity said it wanted Cecil's head to be mounted in a case in Hwange National Park as a memorial.