Palmer, who is also being investigated by the US government over Cecil’s death, has apologised and said he was misled by professional guide Theo Bronkhorst. Wildlife authorities said it was necessary to tighten hunting regulations following Cecil’s death, and they hope the incident raises awareness to the country’s regulations.
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The killing of Cecil gained global attention as the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday aimed at combatting illegal wildlife trafficking and poaching, the culmination of a two-year campaign led by Gabon and Germany.
The two Zimbabweans, a professional hunter and a farm owner, have been arrested.
Zimbabwe is seeking Mr Palmer’s extradition from the United States on illegal hunting charges.
It’s all because Cecil was protected as part of a study by Oxford University looking at how lions live in the wild.
Like Palmer, Stanley fits the classic mold of a Great White Hunter – mostly American males, wealthy enough to spend $54,000 for a single hunt, as Palmer did to stalk Cecil with a crossbow – and like the demonized dentist, he has spent more than $50,000 to hunt lions.
In this photo taken November. 9, 2014 photographer Brent Stapelkamp, front right, with colleagues in the Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. He has not been sighted since his identity was revealed this week by Zimbabwean conservationists.
Palmer’s whereabouts remain unknown amid the uproar over the hunt. Even if you have no particular objections to hunting, his repeated violations of permitting procedures and a sexual harassment claim against him make him sound like someone I wouldn’t particularly want to hire as my dentist. “We appreciate the cooperation, investigation is ongoing”, the tweet said Friday.
The US imposed sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes on long-ruling President Robert Mugabe and members of his inner circle after 2002 elections which western observers said were rigged.
Edward Grace, deputy chief of law enforcement at the agency, said all efforts to contact Palmer had so far been unsuccessful. Palmer has sent the organization money, too.
The disclosure came as Zimbabwe called Palmer a “foreign poacher” and demanded his extradition from the US.
The petition needed to receive 100,000 signatures by August 27 to get a response.
After comparing Palmer to Bill Cosby and calling him “the most hated man in America who never advertised Jell-O pudding on television”, Kimmel told viewers who they can help.
The Washington Post reports that Palmer may have violated the US Lacey Act, a conservation law meant to shield animals from harm by prohibiting trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported, or sold.
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Palmer has gone into hiding and his dentistry office, River Bluff Dental, in Bloomington, Michigan has been closed. “Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion”. “We will update you all as soon as we have more details”.
