source
Cecil the lion was a beloved and famous figure in Zimbabwe. He lived in the Hwange National Park, loved having visitors, and was friendly to humans. “He never bothered anybody,” said Johnny Rodrigues, the head of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. “He was one of the most beautiful animals to look at.” Unfortunately, Cecil was unlawfully killed in a hunting trip gone wrong.
A Tragic Loss
On July 1st, Cecil was lured out of the park by bait. He was then shot with a bow and arrow. The shot did not kill him. He laid suffering until the next day, when the hunters beheaded and skinned him. Cecil was collared and protected under law; it is not legal to kill animals in a national park. The hunters also illegally removed his collar.
{adinserter CNP5}
The Killer Revealed
When the story first broke, the culprits were identified as a Zimbabwean professional hunter named Theo Bronkhors and an unidentified foreign client who had paid £35,000 for the hunt. The local hunter claimed he did not know it was a famous lion and was devastated when he found out. As he was reporting the incident, Bronkhors stated that he had a license to hunt where the lion was located. He is now facing criminal charges. At first, all we knew was that Bronkors’s client was American. On Tuesday, the foreign client was revealed as Walter James Palmer, a dentist from the United States.
Calls For Criminal Charges
Palmer is a skilled bow and arrow hunter: there are images of him posing with a leopard, elk, and an endangered sheep. This is not the first time he has run into trouble. Seven years ago, he plead guilty to making a false statement to federal wildlife officials. He had not properly disclosed the location where he killed a black bear during a guided hunt. For this, Palmer was given a probation for a year. Since the news broke, his dentistry business has been flooded with negative comments online. Rodrigues believes both of the hunters involved should be charged with poaching.
He Offered An Apology
Palmer released a statement regarding the matter: “In early July, I was in Zimbabwe on a bow hunting trip for big game. I hired several professional guides and they secured all proper permits. To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted. 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. I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.” There has not yet had any legal action against him.
