Cecil The Lion’s Killer Won’t Face Any Charges
Source: Adriano Argenio / Getty
A Zimbabwean minister said Monday that the Minnesota dentist and big-game hunter Walter Palmer, who killed Cecil the Lion during a July hunting expedition, won’t face charges in the beloved big cat’s death.
The country’s minister of environment, water and climate, Opa Muchinguri said there has already been ample publicity surrounding the lion’s death. She also made it clear “If you talk to him, tell him that tourists are welcome here. No hunting, though.”
After the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force reported that Cecil was lured out of Hwange National Park and shot with a compound bow Palmer and his family faced threats and saw worldwide protests unfold, including demonstrations outside his Bloomington office. The conservation group said Cecil lived another 40 hours until the hunters tracked him down and shot him with a gun, where he was then skinned and beheaded.
According to the conservation group the hunters also attempted to destroy the GPS collar that Cecil was wearing as part of a research project backed by Oxford University. Palmer said in interviews with The Associated Press and the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he couldn’t see the collar because it was buried beneath Cecil’s mane and he also said that it was not illegal to kill a collared lion.
Palmer said in a statement in late July “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 disappeared for a spell and he returned to work last month.
Two Zimbabweans have been charged in the case, and before Monday, officials there had said they wanted Palmer extradited to face charges. The 55-year-old dentist had indicated that he’d cooperate, however he said he had yet to be contacted by anyone about the investigation.
According to court documents a man with the same name and age, and from the same town, illegally killed a black bear in Wisconsin several years ago.That same individual pleaded guilty to making false statements knowingly to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was sentenced to one year on probation as well as ordered to pay a fine of nearly $3,000.
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