This Tuesday, Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer was outted as the big game hunter who killed one of Africa’s most beloved cats, Cecil the Lion.
Soon after his identity made headlines, Palmer’s dental office in Bloomington, Minn. and the River Bluff Dental website became a target for people’s anger, with a wide array of stuffed animals placed at the building’s doorstep, flowers and all.
Cecil, who was 13-years-old, was famous and widely-loved lion in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, where visitors would report and record sightings of him often. He was a participant in a study conducted by Oxford University and was outfitted with a GPS collar.
Can’t make this up. Walter Palmer dental office morphed into makeshift memorial. Suppose #CecilTheLion in foreground pic.twitter.com/tW59sUuB3J
— Paul Blume (@PaulBlume_FOX9) July 28, 2015
According to police officials in Zimbabwe, two Zimbabweans have been arrested in the case and police are still looking for Palmer.
“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,” Palmer said in a statement.
“I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.”
[Update, 7/31/15] This Friday at a press conference, Zimbabwe’s environment minister Oppah Muchinguri announced that they want the U.S. to extradite Palmer.
“We are appealing to the responsible authorities for his extradition to Zimbabwe so that he can be held accountable for his illegal action,” Muchinguri said.
Featured image: Twitter
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