American dentist accused of paying US$50,000 to kill protected lion

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American dentist accused of paying US$50,000 to kill Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe

The big-game hunter is wanted by police after shooting the animal with a crossbow

PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 29 July, 2015, 12:56am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 29 July, 2015, 2:50am

The Guardian

American James Palmer, who is wanted for the killing of the famous lion Cecil in Zimbabwe, sits beside a previous kill. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Zimbabwean police said on Tuesday they were searching for an American who allegedly shot a well-known, protected lion with a crossbow in a killing that has outraged conservationists and others.

The American allegedly paid US$50,000 to kill the lion named Cecil, Zimbabwean conservationists said. Authorities said two Zimbabwean men would appear in court for allegedly helping with the hunt.

Walter James Palmer, a wealthy dentist, was identified by both the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force and the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe as the American hunter, which police then confirmed.

Emmanuel Fundira, the president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, said Palmer was from Minnesota and his whereabouts were unknown.

The American hunter faces poaching charges, according to police spokeswoman Charity Charamba.

"We arrested two people and now we are looking for Palmer in connection with the same case," she said.

Cecil's death has led authorities to attempt to track down the hunter. Photo: YouTube/Bryan Orford

A spokesman for Palmer said the hunter was "obviously quite upset over everything".

"As far as I understand, Walter believes that he might have shot that lion that has been referred to as Cecil," the spokesman said. "What he'll tell you is that he had the proper legal permits and he had hired several professional guides, so he's not denying that he may be the person who shot this lion. He is a big-game hunter; he hunts the world over."

The two arrested Zimbabwean men - a professional hunter and a farm owner - face poaching charges, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority and the Safari Operators Association said.

Killing the lion was illegal because the farm owner did not have a hunting permit, the joint statement said. The lion was skinned and beheaded. The hunters tried to destroy the lion's collar, fitted with a tracking device, but failed, the statement said.

If convicted, the men face up to 15 years in prison.

Big-game hunter James Palmer poses beside a bear that killed. Photo: SCMP Pictures

The lion was believed to have been killed on July 1 in western Zimbabwe's Hwange region, its carcass discovered days later by trackers, the statement said.

The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force said an American paid the US$50,000 for the hunt. During a nighttime hunt, the men tied a dead animal to their car to lure the lion out of a national park, said Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.

The American was believed to have shot it with a crossbow, injuring the animal. The wounded lion was found 40 hours later, and shot dead with a gun, Rodrigues said.

"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," said Rodrigues.

James Palmer is seen beside a rhino that he has killed. Photo: SCMP PIctures

In 2009, The New York Times interviewed Palmer about his slaying of an elk that was touted as a kill for the archery record books.

The article noted that at the time of the hunt Palmer was on probation for lying to authorities over the exact location where he had killed a black bear in northern Wisconsin in 2006.

A 2008 Flickr photo album by Trophy Hunt America and Porcupine Creek Outfitters, a company that leads hunting expeditions, shows Palmer posing next to a variety of slain animals , including a wood bison and a lion.

Cecil, recognisable by his black mane, was being studied by an Oxford University research programme, the conservation group said.

Associated Press, The Guardian