Palmer, 55, even boasted that he had broken a record for slaying the “world’s biggest lion”. He’s an active big-game hunter and has many kills to his name.
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Lawyer Alec Muchadehama said no American had been extradited to Zimbabwe since the treaty was signed, and that Harare would face legal and political hurdles with Palmer. We have certain processes we have to follow. Some 40 hours later, the wounded cat was tracked down and Palmer allegedly killed it with a gun. “I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favourite, was collared and is part of a study until the end of the hunt”, he said.
Mr. Palmer has not been seen in public since news of Cecil’s killing broke, but he released a statement Tuesday apologizing for “the taking of this lion” and denying any knowledge that the hunt was not legal.
Palmer has issued a letter to his patients, which was obtained by the Star Tribune and KSTP-TV.
The American dentist who sparked worldwide outrage after killing Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe has reached out to U.S. authorities, U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials said Friday.
Grace also said the State Department is looking into the matter in Africa. “At this point in time, however, multiple efforts to contact Dr. Walter Palmer have been unsuccessful”.
CBS News correspondent Vinita Nair reports Palmer has been hounded online and off – with some people calling for his death. His office voicemail isn’t accepting messages and other listed phone numbers have busy signals. It’s now closed, and Palmer’s whereabouts are unknown. Palmer said he would cooperate with the U.S. and Zimbabwean authorities.
Palmer “had a well-orchestrated agenda which would tarnish the image of Zimbabwe and further strain the relationship between Zimbabwe and the U.S.A.”, Muchinguri said. Two Zimbabweans – a professional hunter and a farm owner – have been arrested in connection with the case. Prosecutors have not yet charged a second suspect who was named as an accomplice.
In terms of what action could be taken against him in the United States, Slate says African lions aren’t endangered or threatened under U.S. law, so it was not illegal to kill the animal as per the Endangered Species Act.
The government should finalize rules that would allow it to forbid the import of dead lions, perhaps deterring some hunts in the first place. Safari Club global suspended Palmer’s membership and called for a “full and thorough investigation” into the lion’s death.
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His hunting guide, Theo Bronkhorst, appeared before a court on poaching charges Wednesday.
