Cecil the Africa's most famous lion killed: U.S man admits paying $55,000 to behead lion in Zimbabwe
Death threats have been sent to the American dentist who killed Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe earlier this month amid growing anger over the protected animal's slaughter.
Tributes to the butchered lion have poured in thousands of miles away at Dr Walter Palmer's office in Bloomington, Minnesota, where protesters dressed as 'dentist hunters' also threw stuffed lions at his house.
Celebrities including models Cara Delevingne and Candice Swanepoel have also blasted the dentist, calling him a 'poor excuse of a human being'.
Palmer claims he had trusted his local guides to meet legal guidelines on his trip to Africa, during which he shot Cecil with a crossbow on July 1 before skinning and beheading him.
The hunter's office and practice website have become a target for animal rights activists disgusted by the dentist's actions, which have resulted in Zimbabwe authorities demanding to speak with him about the poaching on Tuesday.
One of the strongest denunciations came from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which said on its Twitter account that Palmer should hang for killing Cecil.
'If, as reported, this dentist & guides lured #CeciltheLion out of the park with food so as to shoot him on private property because shooting #CeciltheLion in the park would have been illegal, he needs to be extradited, charged, &, preferably, hanged.'
PETA continued: 'Hunting is a coward's pastime. To get a thrill at the cost of life this man gunned down loved 'w/ a high-powered weapon'.
'All wild animals are beloved by their own, but to hunters like this overblown, over-privileged little man, they're merely targets.
'The photograph of this dentist, smiling over the corpse of another animal, will disgust every caring soul in the world'.
The hunter allegedly paid $55,000 (£35,000) for a big game permit on the trip, and said that he did not know that the 13-year-old lion was protected.
However, since his role in Cecil's death has been uncovered, animal lovers have laid siege to Dr Palmer's website, posting incredibly negative and abusive reviews.
Some reviews on Yelp, which have been regularly deleted, have suggested violence towards Palmer and his business.
Outrage at Palmer's actions seethed through the internet, and British supermodel Cara Delevinge tweeted: 'This #WalterPalmer is a poor excuse of a human being!'
Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel wrote on Instagram: 'How dare you #walterpalmer !!!! As a South African and as a human being I can't express how deeply saddened I am by this, what pleasure do you get out of doing such a thing!
'Seeing these animals alive in their natural habitat is such a blessing, you have to be so sick to want to kill such a majestic creature of God.
'You come to Africa with your dollars and euros thinking you can buy power by taking advantage of Africa's poverty and paying people to help you kill an innocent creature.
'Disgusting! I hope you get what you deserve #walterpalmer.'
Ricky Gervais also tweeted: 'RIP #CecilTheLion. I'm struggling to imagine anything more beautiful than this.'
In an emotional appeal, American television host Jimmy Kimmel asked viewers to donate to the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit - those responsible for collaring and tracking Cecil.
Stuffed animals including lions were placed outside of his office, along with a sign that said 'You are a coward and a killer!'
'I think they should reconsider their dentist.' one woman told My Fox Minneapolis of Palmer's patients. 'There are plenty of other dentists in the community who are animal advocates and good people.'
Ire against Palmer first erupted when he was identified as the shooter by The Telegraph on Tuesday.
Emmanuel Fundira, the president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, confirmed at a news conference on Tuesday that Palmer is wanted for the death of Cecil.
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said 'we are looking for Palmer' who allegedly paid $55,000 (£35,000) for a big game permit and travelled from Minneapolis to Africa to kill a lion.
Palmer's hunting colleagues, Zimbabwean Theo Bronkhorst and local landowner Honest Ndlovu are due to appear in court this week on poaching charges for the death.
If convicted, the men face up to 15 years in prison.
'We arrested two people and now we are looking for Palmer in connection with the same case,' said Charamba.
The dentist is said to be somewhere in the Twin Cities, though calls to numbers listed for his home and office went unanswered Tuesday.
His dental practice was closed when reporters went to knock on the door and a note on the father-of-two's home address referred all callers to a public relations firm in Minneapolis,
The much loved big cat whose death sent Palmer into hiding was wounded by an arrow after he was allegedly lured out of the national park by the hunter's bait.
After tracking the injured beast, Cecil was eventually found and shot dead. His corpse was then skinned and the head hacked off as a trophy.
However, speaking to the Star Tribune on Tuesday morning, Dr Palmer said he was unaware of Cecil's fame and expressed regret but denied any illegality and laid any blame firmly at the door of his guides.
'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.'
'Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.'
Palmer is a member of the Safari Club International (SCI), which has approximately 55,000 members across the world.
The dentist is a specialist bow and arrow hunter and has 43 registered kills on the SCI website.
Palmer, a client of Bronkhorst, is thought to have hunted game in Zimbabwe before and once told the New York Times he is 'capable of skewering a playing card from 100 yards with his compound bow.'
His passion for hunting has also landed him in trouble before with the law.
Mr Palmer pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the precise location of where he killed a black bear in Wisconsin in 2008.
Palmer was placed on a one year probation and fined $2,939 after it was found that he was not licensed to kill the bear in that particular area.
The passionate hunter describes himself on his dentist website as having 'a unique talent for creating dazzling smiles that complement each individual's tooth structure, skin tone, and facial attributes'.
The married father-of-two also states that outside of work he enjoys anything which allows him 'to stay active and observe and photograph wildlife'.
His passion for hunting has led him to use his archery skills to kill all but one of the animals listed on respected bowhunting organization Pope and Young's records. The hunting group's list includes tough targets like polar bears, leopards, rhinos and lions.
Johnny Rodrigues, of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF), said: 'They went hunting at night with a spotlight and they spotted Cecil.
'They tied a dead animal to their vehicle to lure Cecil out of the park and they scented an area about half a kilometre from the park.'
Rodrigues revealed that Palmer shot his bow and arrow at Cecil, but failed to kill him and that they stalked the wounded and stricken lion before finally shooting him dead with a gun and beheading him.
According to The Independent, he added: 'The head – his trophy – has been impounded and confiscated as evidence for the court in Victoria Falls.'
And to add to the outrage surrounding the death of Cecil, the future of the cubs of his pride are now thought to be at risk. The cubs could be killed if the pride is taken over by another male lion.
'The saddest part of all is that now that Cecil is dead, the next lion in the hierarchy, Jericho, will most likely kill all Cecil's cubs,' Rodrigues said.
A spokesman for Palmer told the Guardian that he was 'obviously quite upset over everything.'
The day after the hunt, it is believed Mr Bronkhorst went to the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and reported the hunt.
Park authorities confirmed that a valid license was held but that it did not specify where the hunting of the lion could take place.
Using a bow and arrow to hunt animals is allowed in Zimbabwe as long an hunting permit is held.
The permit specifies that the hunting of animals inside a national park or government-run safari area is illegal.
An early statement issued by the Zimbabwean Parks Authority said: 'Theo Bronkhorst, a professional hunter with Bushman Safaris, is facing criminal charges for allegedly killing a collared lion on Antoinette farm in Gwayi Conservancy, Hwange district on 1 July 2015.
'Both the professional hunter and land owner had no permit or quota to justify the offtake of the lion and therefore are liable for the illegal hunt.'
The statement said that Bronkhorst's son Zane was also wanted for questioning, and that the lion trophy had been confiscated.
Bronkhorst's business, Bushman Safaris Zimbabwe, said on its Facebook page that the fees hunters pay to shoot wildlife helps preserve the animal's habitats.
Fundira, president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, had earlier said the death of Cecil the Lion as 'a real loss to our tourism industry and it has caused a lot of anxiety'.
'Cecil was collared, indicating that he was selected for research purposes.
'He was popular with visitors to Hwange National Park who were fascinated by his black mane and always wanted to know his whereabouts.'
The death of Cecil has left conservators deeply worried for the safety of several lion cubs, who are now living unprotected in the park.
Researchers at Hwange National Park had fitted Cecil with a tracking collar but it appears the hunter removed it and attempted to destroy any evidence.
Cecil was one of the park's oldest lions and was well known for his striking looks and friendly nature.
According to local legend, Cecil was kicked out of his pride and wandered alone until he met another lone lion called Jericho.
Cecil and Jericho both had a pride, comprised of six lionesses and several young cubs, situated in the park.
Beks Ndlovo, chief executive of the African Bush Camps, a private safari company in Zimbabwe, called for the hunting of lions to be stopped.
Ndlovo said: 'In my personal capacity... I strongly object and vehemently disagree with the legalizing and practice of hunting lions in any given area.
'I will personally be encouraging Zimbabwe National Parks and engaging with government officials to stop the killing of lions and with immediate effect.'
In May, a US hunter shot an elderly black rhinoceros in Namibia after buying a government-issued licence for $350,000.
Tributes to the butchered lion have poured in thousands of miles away at Dr Walter Palmer's office in Bloomington, Minnesota, where protesters dressed as 'dentist hunters' also threw stuffed lions at his house.
Celebrities including models Cara Delevingne and Candice Swanepoel have also blasted the dentist, calling him a 'poor excuse of a human being'.
Palmer claims he had trusted his local guides to meet legal guidelines on his trip to Africa, during which he shot Cecil with a crossbow on July 1 before skinning and beheading him.
The hunter's office and practice website have become a target for animal rights activists disgusted by the dentist's actions, which have resulted in Zimbabwe authorities demanding to speak with him about the poaching on Tuesday.
One of the strongest denunciations came from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which said on its Twitter account that Palmer should hang for killing Cecil.
'If, as reported, this dentist & guides lured #CeciltheLion out of the park with food so as to shoot him on private property because shooting #CeciltheLion in the park would have been illegal, he needs to be extradited, charged, &, preferably, hanged.'
PETA continued: 'Hunting is a coward's pastime. To get a thrill at the cost of life this man gunned down loved 'w/ a high-powered weapon'.
'All wild animals are beloved by their own, but to hunters like this overblown, over-privileged little man, they're merely targets.
'The photograph of this dentist, smiling over the corpse of another animal, will disgust every caring soul in the world'.
The hunter allegedly paid $55,000 (£35,000) for a big game permit on the trip, and said that he did not know that the 13-year-old lion was protected.
However, since his role in Cecil's death has been uncovered, animal lovers have laid siege to Dr Palmer's website, posting incredibly negative and abusive reviews.
Some reviews on Yelp, which have been regularly deleted, have suggested violence towards Palmer and his business.
Outrage at Palmer's actions seethed through the internet, and British supermodel Cara Delevinge tweeted: 'This #WalterPalmer is a poor excuse of a human being!'
Victoria's Secret model Candice Swanepoel wrote on Instagram: 'How dare you #walterpalmer !!!! As a South African and as a human being I can't express how deeply saddened I am by this, what pleasure do you get out of doing such a thing!
'Seeing these animals alive in their natural habitat is such a blessing, you have to be so sick to want to kill such a majestic creature of God.
'You come to Africa with your dollars and euros thinking you can buy power by taking advantage of Africa's poverty and paying people to help you kill an innocent creature.
'Disgusting! I hope you get what you deserve #walterpalmer.'
Ricky Gervais also tweeted: 'RIP #CecilTheLion. I'm struggling to imagine anything more beautiful than this.'
In an emotional appeal, American television host Jimmy Kimmel asked viewers to donate to the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit - those responsible for collaring and tracking Cecil.
Stuffed animals including lions were placed outside of his office, along with a sign that said 'You are a coward and a killer!'
'I think they should reconsider their dentist.' one woman told My Fox Minneapolis of Palmer's patients. 'There are plenty of other dentists in the community who are animal advocates and good people.'
Ire against Palmer first erupted when he was identified as the shooter by The Telegraph on Tuesday.
Emmanuel Fundira, the president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, confirmed at a news conference on Tuesday that Palmer is wanted for the death of Cecil.
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said 'we are looking for Palmer' who allegedly paid $55,000 (£35,000) for a big game permit and travelled from Minneapolis to Africa to kill a lion.
Palmer's hunting colleagues, Zimbabwean Theo Bronkhorst and local landowner Honest Ndlovu are due to appear in court this week on poaching charges for the death.
If convicted, the men face up to 15 years in prison.
'We arrested two people and now we are looking for Palmer in connection with the same case,' said Charamba.
The dentist is said to be somewhere in the Twin Cities, though calls to numbers listed for his home and office went unanswered Tuesday.
His dental practice was closed when reporters went to knock on the door and a note on the father-of-two's home address referred all callers to a public relations firm in Minneapolis,
The much loved big cat whose death sent Palmer into hiding was wounded by an arrow after he was allegedly lured out of the national park by the hunter's bait.
After tracking the injured beast, Cecil was eventually found and shot dead. His corpse was then skinned and the head hacked off as a trophy.
However, speaking to the Star Tribune on Tuesday morning, Dr Palmer said he was unaware of Cecil's fame and expressed regret but denied any illegality and laid any blame firmly at the door of his guides.
'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.'
'Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.'
Palmer is a member of the Safari Club International (SCI), which has approximately 55,000 members across the world.
The dentist is a specialist bow and arrow hunter and has 43 registered kills on the SCI website.
Palmer, a client of Bronkhorst, is thought to have hunted game in Zimbabwe before and once told the New York Times he is 'capable of skewering a playing card from 100 yards with his compound bow.'
His passion for hunting has also landed him in trouble before with the law.
Mr Palmer pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the precise location of where he killed a black bear in Wisconsin in 2008.
Palmer was placed on a one year probation and fined $2,939 after it was found that he was not licensed to kill the bear in that particular area.
The passionate hunter describes himself on his dentist website as having 'a unique talent for creating dazzling smiles that complement each individual's tooth structure, skin tone, and facial attributes'.
The married father-of-two also states that outside of work he enjoys anything which allows him 'to stay active and observe and photograph wildlife'.
His passion for hunting has led him to use his archery skills to kill all but one of the animals listed on respected bowhunting organization Pope and Young's records. The hunting group's list includes tough targets like polar bears, leopards, rhinos and lions.
Johnny Rodrigues, of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF), said: 'They went hunting at night with a spotlight and they spotted Cecil.
'They tied a dead animal to their vehicle to lure Cecil out of the park and they scented an area about half a kilometre from the park.'
Rodrigues revealed that Palmer shot his bow and arrow at Cecil, but failed to kill him and that they stalked the wounded and stricken lion before finally shooting him dead with a gun and beheading him.
According to The Independent, he added: 'The head – his trophy – has been impounded and confiscated as evidence for the court in Victoria Falls.'
And to add to the outrage surrounding the death of Cecil, the future of the cubs of his pride are now thought to be at risk. The cubs could be killed if the pride is taken over by another male lion.
'The saddest part of all is that now that Cecil is dead, the next lion in the hierarchy, Jericho, will most likely kill all Cecil's cubs,' Rodrigues said.
A spokesman for Palmer told the Guardian that he was 'obviously quite upset over everything.'
The day after the hunt, it is believed Mr Bronkhorst went to the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and reported the hunt.
Park authorities confirmed that a valid license was held but that it did not specify where the hunting of the lion could take place.
Using a bow and arrow to hunt animals is allowed in Zimbabwe as long an hunting permit is held.
The permit specifies that the hunting of animals inside a national park or government-run safari area is illegal.
An early statement issued by the Zimbabwean Parks Authority said: 'Theo Bronkhorst, a professional hunter with Bushman Safaris, is facing criminal charges for allegedly killing a collared lion on Antoinette farm in Gwayi Conservancy, Hwange district on 1 July 2015.
'Both the professional hunter and land owner had no permit or quota to justify the offtake of the lion and therefore are liable for the illegal hunt.'
The statement said that Bronkhorst's son Zane was also wanted for questioning, and that the lion trophy had been confiscated.
Bronkhorst's business, Bushman Safaris Zimbabwe, said on its Facebook page that the fees hunters pay to shoot wildlife helps preserve the animal's habitats.
Fundira, president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, had earlier said the death of Cecil the Lion as 'a real loss to our tourism industry and it has caused a lot of anxiety'.
'Cecil was collared, indicating that he was selected for research purposes.
'He was popular with visitors to Hwange National Park who were fascinated by his black mane and always wanted to know his whereabouts.'
The death of Cecil has left conservators deeply worried for the safety of several lion cubs, who are now living unprotected in the park.
Researchers at Hwange National Park had fitted Cecil with a tracking collar but it appears the hunter removed it and attempted to destroy any evidence.
Cecil was one of the park's oldest lions and was well known for his striking looks and friendly nature.
According to local legend, Cecil was kicked out of his pride and wandered alone until he met another lone lion called Jericho.
Cecil and Jericho both had a pride, comprised of six lionesses and several young cubs, situated in the park.
Beks Ndlovo, chief executive of the African Bush Camps, a private safari company in Zimbabwe, called for the hunting of lions to be stopped.
Ndlovo said: 'In my personal capacity... I strongly object and vehemently disagree with the legalizing and practice of hunting lions in any given area.
'I will personally be encouraging Zimbabwe National Parks and engaging with government officials to stop the killing of lions and with immediate effect.'
In May, a US hunter shot an elderly black rhinoceros in Namibia after buying a government-issued licence for $350,000.
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Source : DailyMail , Guardian , New York Times , Mirror , CNN , SkyNews
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