Cecil the lion – the most famous creature in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park – was killed by an American hunter according to a report via the Telegraph.
The report reveals that Walter James Palmer, a dentist from Minnesota in the United States, is believed to have paid an estimated USD $50 000 to shoot and kill the lion. Palmer’s weapon of choice was, according to the report, a bow and arrow.
According to traveller24, Palmer reportedly has a hunting felony history, and is also facing charges for the illegal hunting Cecil the lion – although Palmer issued a statement saying he was under the impression the hunt was legal, until the very end. Local authorities in Zimbabwe alleged that the lion was lured from a protected area and killed.
A petition has also been launched online which calls on Zimbabwe’s president Robert Gabriel Mugabe to stop issuing hunting permits to kill endangered animals.
Africans, as well as the world lashed out to social media in order to air their opinions. The tweets can be found below:
RIP #CecilTheLion I’m struggling to imagine anything more beautiful than this pic.twitter.com/lile3Kb2dk
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) July 28, 2015
Over £30,000 spent and for what? An innocent lion’s head on a wall? ? #cecilthelion
— Jane Doran (@JaneDonne97) July 30, 2015
Honor #cecilthelion by urging @USFWS to list African Lion as a threatened species http://t.co/bv2YKkbt2O via @HSIGlobal
— Jackie Fitzgerald (@FitzJackie1) July 30, 2015
To suggest that the money paid to hunt wild animals in Africa will uplift people from poverty is misguided & extremely naive #CecilTheLion
— Sir Nigel (@SirNige) July 30, 2015
If the guy who killed #CecilTheLion is as remorseful as he now says, he should spend a few years in Africa providing free dental work.
— Damian Penny (@damianpenny) July 29, 2015
Ur a dentist w/ $50,000 to spare? Why aren’t u in Africa helping the poor w/ free dental surgery instead of killing things? #CecilTheLion
— J-San (@lawdood) July 29, 2015
Why would anyone go to Africa just to kill a lion? Try to take a great picture: shoot without killing #CecilTheLion pic.twitter.com/EvGp0k3hcS
— Humberto Tan (@HumbertoTan) July 28, 2015
Killing of #CecilTheLion was senseless and cruel. It’s time for US and EU to #bantrophyhunting http://t.co/yQ7YuHaLlr pic.twitter.com/mK5YujI31G
— Catherine Bearder (@catherinemep) July 28, 2015
Darryl Linington
