As adult male lions go, Cecil was pretty old, near the end of his life.
Adult male lions do not die quickly in nature. They are driven from the pride. They have a hard time finding or catching enough to eat. They gradually weaken as they starve. Packs of hyaenas or other predators start following and dogging them. They attack, weakening the lion even further.
Eventually, often over a period of days, they are wounded and often literally eaten while alive. The predators that go after them usually attack from the rear, and that is where they start to feed.
The same thing happens to hundreds of elk, deer, elephants and other animals every day in the wild.
Often by lions.
No pity party from me.
see post 16.
Cecil was in a reserve, where he could have lived another 10-12 years typically.