Cecil the lion's killer in hiding as global anger reaches Minnesota hometown

[seafan]

Source: UK Telegraph

8:16AM BST 29 Jul 2015

The American hunter unmasked yesterday as the killer of Cecil the lion has gone into hiding as the angry response spread across the internet and to Walter Palmer's Minnesota hometown.

.....

This was not the first time Dr Palmer’s sporting interests have caused him some difficulty. In 2008 he pleaded guilty to lying to the authorities over where he had shot a black bear during the 2006 hunting season.

Last night he was not to be found, either at the surgery or his five-bedroom 4,007 square feet home, estimated as being worth just over $1 million (£640,000) in a leafy Minneapolis suburb.

.....

Dr Palmer’s neighbours, who professed to not knowing him personally, voiced their displeasure at his role in the death of Cecil. .... "If you have enough money you can play any game you want."

.....

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/11769642/Cecil-the-lion-killers-Google-profile-flooded-with-angry-commemts.html

---

The last known photograph of Cecil (lying down), with Jericho. The image was taken a month before Cecil was killed Photo: Brent Stapelkamp

'There was blood in the sand. My immediate response was anger'

From his office in the Hwange National Park, Brent Stapelkamp looked at the data and knew something was amiss.

As a researcher with Oxford University's lion project, one of Mr Stapelkamp's jobs is to monitor the 500 or so lions in the park, deep in the Zimbabwe countryside.

"I check the lions with collars every day," said Mr Stapelkamp. "And I noticed on July 3rd or 4th that Cecil's collar had stopped sending data. I made a note to change his collar."

But Mr Stapelkamp soon received a visitor, with worrying news. ..... "A guide from another camp came to visit me and he said he had heard a rumour that a lion had been shot. I checked the Cecil's data of his last movements, and sent it to parks team to investigate."

The next day the team made a gruesome discovery: the carcass of Cecil, without his head and skin.

Cecil, a 12-year-old, had been shot on July 1 by an American dentist, Walter Palmer, who paid £35,000 to kill a lion with a bow and arrow.

.....

For Mr Stapelkamp and his team, the news of Cecil's death was devastating.
"We try and be a bit cold, and professional scientists," the 37-year-old told The Telegraph. "But we were absolutely devastated, rocked to our cores.

.....

"People have got away with so much nonsense, going on for years," said Mr Stapelkamp. "I have no faith in hunting and it needs to be cleaned up. .....

"They must put money back into conservations and the finances, the books, must be reviewed by all interested people – including 'greenies'. At the moment there is no way the hunters can now defend their choice or profession."

.....

Among the angry commenters was Blake Rutherford who wrote: "You have stolen this animal from the world Dr Palmer. The repercussions of your actions will haunt your business and reputation. I feel bad for your family and hope you can find a way to correct your actions.

Cecil and one of the lionesses (Brent Stapelkamp)



This soulless trophy murderer should face extradition and prosecution.

[bluestateguy]

1. He needs to be found and turned over to Robert Mugabe

nt

[PatrickforO]

87. That would be fitting.

[closeupready]

2. Ignorance of the law is NO defense from charges of breaking the law.

That is Travel 101.

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. He wasn't ignorant of the law.

They put a dead animal on a truck and lured the lion out of the park with it. There is no way he couldn't have known what they were doing was illegal or at least really morally wrong.

[question everything]

10. Indeed. He had a colalr

Did he think that lions in Africa are born with collars?

[jberryhill]

53. The lion refused to cooperate

If it had simply been respectful and pointed out the collar, the entire misunderstanding could have been avoided.

Lions shouldn't get all uppity when they are pulled over.

[seafan]

12. This is what will cook him. n/t

[happyslug]

102. Lets get the KNOWN facts straight here, no one is saying the Dentist knew of use of a truck...

All of the admitted facts so far is that the guide the Dentist hired so he could hunt a Lion with a Bow and Arrow was the one that used a truck to draw in the lion from inside the National Park to a private farm where hunting was permitted. Now, this is a large farm, one of the farms Mugabe has been slowly breaking up, but are also the main source of exports out of the country (and why so many still survive). One of the sources of income for such large farms is permitting lion hunting.

Now, the farm did NOT have a permit to permit a lion hunt, but it appears they did not tell that to the dentist. The farm did have permits to permit other types of hunts, and I suspect they sold this lion hunt to the dentist knowing they did not have a permit for the lion hunt and did not care of they had a permit or not, the money was what the owner of the farm wanted.

Another fact ignored in this tread is the "Guides" who used a dead animal to lure the lion out of the National Park to the private farm, did this at night and again no one is saying the Dentist knew anything about that maneuver.

You may dislike the fact that this Dentist killed a lion, a well known lion, and he may have wanted to kill a lion so bad that he ignored things that should have put him on notice that something was wrong, but nothing has come out, yet, that indicates he did anything illegal himself.

I suspect the farm owner told his employees (the hunting guides) to get a lion for his paying guest to hunt. I suspect the farm owner KNEW where the guides were going to get the lion and how, but refused to ask any questions for if the guides told the farm owner of they plans, by law the farm owner would have had to stop the guides.

That morning the Dentist flew into the country and took up residence with the Farm owner. The Dentist asked to make sure all the permits had been taken care of and the Farm Owner said it was. The Dentist did not ask to see the permits or even check with the Government office that covers such hunts (Which may have been deliberate on his part, but when you are PAYING to stay some place, you assume the person you are paying will take care of such details, like when you go into a Hotel Room, you can assume there will be a bed in the room you just paid for AND the hotel meets local fire and health codes).

Thus I will assume, until I see evidence to the contrary, that the Dentist knew nothing of the illegal activities being used to get him a lion. As I said, the Dentist flew in, unloaded his bow and arrow, went to sleep, was awaken the next morning being told by his guides they had found a lion for him to kill. The Dentist took his bow and arrow and guided by the guides, went up to the lion and shot a arrow, but did not kill Cecil. A day and half later (the 40 hours later report), one of the Guides, caught up with the wounded lion and finished him off with a rifle.

That is roughly all of the facts we know at the present time OR facts we can assume based on past practices of the locals and past hunters in the area (i.e. flying in and being told by guides a lion had been found). We also know the lion was lured out of the National Park by the Guides, for that is apparently what they told the Police when they were arrested. No one is saying that the Guides or the Farm Owner told the Dentist of their illegal acts. Thus the Dentist MAY have been an innocent person who relied on the people he paid that what they were doing was legal.

This SEEMS to be the position of the local police. They are acting like the criminals were the guides and the farm owner NOT the dentist, for the police have NOT asked for the extradition of the dentist. On the other hand the Police do have questions for the Dentist for the Police wants to know what the Dentist actually knew. Hunting Lions is legal in that country, provided you go through a licensed guide who knows the rules. The Farm Owner and his employees (the Guides), knew or should have known these rules, the Dentist would not have. The Farm owner had a licensed to permit hunting of lions on his farm. and thus knew the rules. That is NOT true of the Dentist, whose presence in the country may be counted in days not years.

Lets be honest, the farm owner saw $50,000 for his personal use. That $50,000 was to cover all permits, lodging and clean up for the hunt. The Farm Owner probably made a promise of a refund if the Dentist did not bag a lion, and did NOT want to pay that refund. It also appears the farm owner DID NOT have a permit for such a lion hunt, and I suspect he did not for either it had been refused, or the farm owner pocketed the money for the permit for his own use (Thus the massive investigation and the charges being brought against the farm owner).

You may dislike the fact that the Dentist killed a lion, you may dislike the idea of lion hunting, but I have NOT seen anything that indicates the Dentist did anything illegal himself.

Side note: The Dentist may not be as innocent as I made him above, for the Dentist may have wanted to "bag" a lion so much that he selected a guide who guaranteed him a lion, while other more respectable hunting guides refuse to make such a promise (i.e. they would TRY to get him a legal lion, but if the lions refuse to cooperate the dentist still would have to pay the bill). One such guide in the early 1900s did that to Theodore Roosevelt, but TR refused to "Take" the bear, for TR said that was NOT hunting.



http://www.nps.gov/thrb/learn/historyculture/storyofteddybear.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_bear

Just pointing out the facts, as we known them TODAY, do not support any allegation that the Dentist acted illegally, but it is the beginning of the investigation and new facts may come out.

[Iggo]

107. Trophy hunters are scum.

And you're making a ton of assumptions in your "KNOWN facts" post.

[happyslug]

109. What assumptions, as to the Dentist, are you objecting to?

Remember, even in Zimbabwe , you are PRESUMED INNOCENT TILL PROVEN GUILTY, thus you MUST presume that the Dentist did nothing wrong UNLESS you have evidence to the contrary. Thus we know he shot the lion with a arrow, the lion lived another 40 hours before he was finished off with a gun. We know the Dentist paid $50,000 for the hunt on a private farm, where such hunts are legal, provided the required permits are obtained. It is the duty of the guide providing the hunt to get the required permits not the hunter (The Hunter is ONLY required to go hunting through a licensed guide, which the Dentist did). Thus we have NO FACTS that indicate that the Dentist did anything illegal, he went hunting after paying for the services of a license guide. Thus, you may DISLIKE Trophy Hunters, I have NOT read anything that indicated he broke any laws on this trip. The guide and land owner he contracted with appears to have broke several laws but that does mean the dentist did (The Dentist did break a US law years ago by lying to a US Government official, but that was years ago NOT on this trip).

Thus the assumptions I am making are the same assumptions the law will assume, and when it comes to LEGAL LIABILITY, that is the test.

[Iggo]

118. I object that you label your assumptions as known facts.

Take it easy.

[csziggy]

111. For many trophy hunting is considered reprehensible

So whether or not the dentist acted legally or illegally is irrelevant.

To hunt and kill a member of an endangered species just as a prize to hang on your wall seems to me to be a sign of mental illness - even if it is accepted by some groups of people. For some people going after big game could be a once in a lifetime event - this dentist has done it repeatedly and has broken the law while doing so. The case of the bear was not a slightly out of legal limits - the bear was 40 miles away from the area where the dentist was allowed to hunt.

I suspect that the dentist knew exactly what was going on with baiting the lion but so long as it was not spelled out specifically he could maintain plausible deniability if he and his guides were caught.

[happyslug]

112. This started as an "Ignorance of the Law" sub-thread....

and as such the ONLY RELEVANT ISSUE in this sub thread is the legality and that is ALL I WAS ADDRESSING. If you want to protest against trophy hunting, there are other places on this thread where that would be relevant, but saying legality is NOT relevant in a sub thread starting with the concept of "Ignorance of the law is NOT a defense" is makes no sense. You are saying that it is irrelevant what the law is, and thus the Law should be enforced to the furthest extent of the law (i.e. we care less what the law is, but we want it enforced to the letter of the law).

I dislike trophy hunting also, but I was NOT address the concept of Trophy Hunting but the facts that support that the Dentist did anything ILLEGAL. So far, what he did and was involved in sounds immoral, but being immoral is NOT the same as being illegal and the LEGALITY of the Dentists Actions is the subject of this sub-thread NOT its morality.

[csziggy]

116. Thank you so much for explaining that you are the dictator of this subthread

Gee, I would have never responded at all if I had known that.

[christx30]

119. For one thing,

ignorance of the law is no excuse.
Secondly, if someone steals your stero, and I but it after not asking why I'm buying a stero out of a van and not at Best Buy, I'm still guilty of receiving stolen property. If it is, as you say, that he stayed purposely ignorant of the illegal activities ("I don't want to know&quot he's still guilty.

[happyslug]

120. But the burden of proof is on the orginal owner that the stereo is his,

If he or she can NOT prove by a preponderance of evidence that it is his stereo, the law PRESUMES the stereo belongs to the person who has possession of it. Thus you can NOT claim that someone has your Stereo, you must PROVE it is your stereo. To get over this burden of proof more expensive items have serial numbers on them, but if you did not record them nor they were recorded when your purchased the item, it is useless as evidence of whose property it is.

As to receiving stolen property, if you can prove it is your property, then the buyer MUST turn it over to you. The only issue is ownership and once shown by preponderance of evidence that you own it and never sold it, the person with possession has no rights to the item and must return it to the owner of the property (Please note if you sold something that was part of a Fraud on you, the fraudster has the right to sell the item sold AND THAT SALE IS GOOD EVEN AGAINST THE ORIGINAL OWNER, thrift does NOT produce a good title, but fraud does).

On the other hand to show that the buyer knew or should have known that the item he purchased was stolen has to be shown beyond a reasonable doubt, a much higher burden of proof and that includes that the buyer knew or should have known it was stolen. Notice the buyer does NOT have to show he or she could not have known the item was stolen, but that they presumed the actual owner of the item was the person selling the item. If you possession something, the law presumes you have the right to sell it.

Please note presumption is who has the burden of proof, in cases where you do not have possession that burden is on you.

[christx30]

124. Well..

Because there is a loss to the country — an injured party — caused by the dentist whether he meant to or not. If you accidentally injure someone’s property, even if you do not know it is their property, you are liable. If you buy someone’s property and it turns out to be stolen, you are liable to return the property. At the level of financial liability, not knowing is not an excuse.

If you harm someone’s property or take it on purposes, you are guilty of a crime such as vandalism or theft. If you do not know, you still have financial liability.

[840high]

76. He wasn't ignorant of the law.

[hlthe2b]

3. the "great white hunter" becomes the "hunted"....

GOOD.

[Happyhippychick]

4. Perfect analogy

[Alkene]

17. ...

[RKP5637]

26. That's the movie I kept trying to think of. n/t

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

101. I was thinking of the film

The Most Dangerous Game from 1932

[snagglepuss]

103. I sincerely hope that he's stalked by fear for the rest of his days. Perhaps

Anonymous will find a way to track and post his movements so he will never be released from the fear of being stalked.

[jwirr]

6. These animals that live on the refuges are used to people being around. Good people. So when

this excuse for a hunter hunts near the refuge they are not even afraid of him. Lambs to the slaughter, so to say.

He had a couple of people with him on the WI bear hunt also - wonder if he was setting in comfort while the other two chased the bear into his trap. No hunter at all.

[HFRN]

7. bet he regrets having all camo luggage

that pic of Cecil and lioness is really heartbreaking - I'm sure she is grieving

[seafan]

8. This man will be found.

Within minutes of the Telegraph’s revelation, Palmer became a subject of internet hate. Social media users have called him a “scumbag” and a “disgrace to humankind, and a detriment to our species as a whole.” The address, website and phone number of his practice were plastered everywhere, with the practice’s website going down shortly thereafter.

.....

The dentist's Facebook account has been taken down, and his practice is taking heavy fire on Yelp as well. Over on Twitter, the doctor's private address and phone numbers have been posted by people claiming to be part of the hacktivist collective Anonymous.
.....
According to Johnny Rodrigues, head of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force nonprofit that has been working in the country for the past 16 years, the country is rife with corruption. Zimbabweans let rich foreigners buy the rights to hunt prized animals, while government officials look the other way or even facilitate the poaching in exchange for bribes.

Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit has been monitoring the Hwange lions since 1999, to measure the impact of hunting on the lion population within the park. According to Dr. Andrew Loveridge, one of the lead researchers on the project, the remaining male in the pride will most likely be unable to protect Cecil’s cubs.

"Jericho as a single male will be unable to defend the two prides and cubs from new males that invade the territory,” Loveridge told National Geographic. “This is what we most often see happening in these cases. Infanticide is the most likely outcome.”

“Anything allowing him to stay active and observe and photograph wildlife is where you will find Dr. Palmer when he not in the office.” ---captured from his dental practice web page. He left off the 'killing' aspect.


We want to find him apprehended.

[tblue]

89. "Photograph"?

This man uses an odd dictionary. Or else he knew all along he was doing something ugly that might hurt his business or his reputation. Now THE WORLD knows because he is now the most famous dentist on the planet.

[undiegrinder]

98. Photograph/shoot, observe/sight? As originally written by 'Dentist the Menace'...

It read:

“Anything allowing him to stay active and sight and shoot wildlife is where you will find Dr. Palmer when he not in the office.”

At least, that's what I got after running it through Google Translate from English back into Low-Life Asshole.

[2naSalit]

9. Paging Dr. Palmer...

Paging Dr. Palmer,

Your personal ugly-demon-nightmare-shitstorm-from-hell has arrived.

Hope you suffer more than the wildlife treasures you killed for pleasure.

Sincerely,

2na.

[narnian60]

19. Perfect.

[spiderpig]

73. Agreed.

[VA_Jill]

11. His other "sporting interests"

appear to be human females.
http://www.rawstory.com/2015/07/lion-killing-dentist-walter-palmer-also-preyed-on-women-sexual-harassment-claim-reveals/

[RKP5637]

30. This guy has a lot of stuff floating in his head and also IMO is unfit to be a dentist. His

license to practice should be yanked.

[ThoughtCriminal]

37. With apologies to dentists everywhere...

Maybe he chose that profession for a other reasons...

[RKP5637]

38. I would not be surprised in the least to learn he has sadistic leanings. n/t

[dieter]

90. Thank you so much!

This scene from the move has been going through my head all day.

[JackInGreen]

100. I think I'd prefer

Orrin to this dude.
yes...I'll take an abusive misogynistic greaser, a maladjusted reprobate drilling me and loving every second rather than that bespectacled sack of feces up top.

[passiveporcupine]

59. I suspect he went into this profession for the money

Not out of altruism and the desire to help people in need. Dentists don't often lower fees for low income people, or work in free clinics like many doctors do. Most dentists are pretty well off, and if he was a surgeon, then he was even better off than a regular dentist.

For this reason, it bothers me that doctors and dentists can make as much as some of them do. It brings people into the business for the wrong reason. Having socialized health care in this country would probably tend to bring some of the highest wage earners down a notch or two. And I don't think that would be a bad thing. Health care should be available to all, not just the wealthy. And many of these specialists are only affordable if you have a good enough insurance plan to cover them, or you are very wealthy.

A lot of people (like me) can't afford dental care, so just go without; and that's really a shame in a country like ours.

[RKP5637]

62. I agree with everything you say so very much!!! n/t

[TwilightGardener]

13. Better run and hide, you worthless piece of shit.

[Enthusiast]

22. Typical Republican.

[RKP5637]

63. We'll see him running for the R nomination for 2016. Move over Trump, Bush and walker, a

new hero has been found!

[ladjf]

14. A two million dollar fine and a ten year jail sentence would be appropriate. nt

[Faygo Kid]

15. Any guess about his politics? Nah, I didn't think so.

Right wing GOPer through and through, I am certain.

Soulless piece of shit has ruined his life, and good riddance.

[Beaverhausen]

16. I think someone found that he contributed to Mitt in 2012 on Open Secrets

[AngryDem001]

43. GOPers get off on killing animals.

They LOVE it when their prey cannot fight back.

You wanna kill a lion? OK.

Here's the rules:

No weapons of ANY kind.

You are put in a room with a very healthy, fully grown lion or lioness.

You have to do it hand to hand. Or, I guess hand to paw.


Let's see how fast these cowards run when they can't use their high-powered penis compensators.

[glinda]

56. This is in part what the NRA is protecting.

[rurallib]

18. hope he gets caught, extradited, tried and convicted.

And I hope he gets a fine and sentence that will send a major message to those like him throughout the world.

[geomon666]

20. Fucking coward

The lion had more guts than this bastard will ever dream of having.

[tclambert]

21. But Ted Nugent says the whole thing is a lie.

So there you have it. A celebrity has spoken.

[shenmue]

29. I knew it

Figures.

[AngryDem001]

40. "Celebrity" is being generous.

I don't put much stock in what a pedophile has to say.

[roamer65]

125. Fuck Nugent.

Worthless bag of shit. I am so glad he left MI.

[Skittles]

126. one bow / gun humping hunter coward protecting another

[Betty]

23. I hope this POS

gets to sit in a Zimbawe jail cell for at least ten years. Can't imagine what kind of dentist he was, considering his obvious enjoyment in killing innocent animals for pleasure.

[Archae]

24. He has a felony record here in Wisconsin for poaching a bear.

[frylock]

25. Hope he's looking over his shoulder for the remainder of his miserable life.

[Gregorian]

27. Hiding unlike the animals he force to be out in the open so he could kill them.

I'll bet he's a shit dentist.

[pansypoo53219]

28. i look forward to his coming financial woes.

[RKP5637]

31. That practice should be permanently boarded up and his license yanked. n/t

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

32. He needs to be shot...

With an arrow, chased around downtown Minneapolis, till exhausted.
No fight left no future, no hope.
Then killed and beheaded. Trophy given to his living room.

Ban me for this.. But it needs to be said. Maybe not in the horrific way I did but what did he do?
Any difference? Human? ".......leave it alone!

I realize this may offend some, but think about wha t he did.

[Still In Wisconsin]

35. You said exactly what I've been feeling.

I know that revenge is not noble. However, a big part of me would love to watch Palmer stagger around Minneapolis with an arrow in his side as he slowly bleeds out.

[Fritz Walter]

33. Karma's pearly-white, perfectly aligned teeth are biting him in the butt now. And his family as well.

Not only is his life over, as he knew it, but also that of his family.

By now, Jericho has probably killed off Cecil's cubs, in order for him to mate with the females in the pride.
Likewise, the innocent children of Mr. Palmer -- he's no doctor IMHO -- are suffering now: no more PlayStation on 72" 3-D Plasma screens. Smart phones shut off (to prevent Anonymous from tracking them down). Perhaps needlessly, but not unavoidably. There was a pattern of sociopathic behavior: his illegal killing of a black bear in 2006. His wife should have read that warning sign and moved out, taking his children and as much of his fortune with her. Too bad, so sad.

[swilton]

34. Just read that the other two culprits in this crime

were freed on $1,000 bail.

[cosmicone]

36. There should be reverse hunting licenses

I'd love to have a license to hunt down this asshole Palmer and mount his head over my fireplace. But ... I suppose I daydream too much.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

39. I support the right to arm bears.

Gives them a more even chance.

[LynneSin]

41. Maybe we can lure him out of hiding with a new BMW or flashy gold Rolex. Catch him that way

He doesn't get to keep them but selfish prick might see something sparkly and follow the lure so we can catch him just like he did with Cecil. Then we kick him really hard in the balls and knee caps and let him limp around in pain for 40 hours until we take him in.

[restorefreedom]

42. he and his pathetically tiny shriveled penis

need to spend some quality time in a zimbabwe prison.

[seafan]

44. The bastard tried to destroy the GPS collar that Cecil wore.

CNN

The 13-year-old lion, recognizable by the black streaks in his mane, suffered a slow death, according to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. The hunters lured him out of the sanctuary of the park with a dead animal on top of a vehicle, the conservation group said.

Palmer, officials said, then shot the lion with a crossbow, a method for which he is known. But Cecil survived another 40 hours until the hunters tracked him down and shot him with a gun.

Cecil was skinned and beheaded, and the hunters tried to destroy the GPS collar that Cecil was wearing as part of research backed by Oxford University, the group said.

.....

Investigations suggest the killing of Cecil was illegal because the land owner "was not allocated a lion on his hunting quota for 2015," said a statement from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe.

.....

"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 so that he can insert his own bloodline into the females," the Zimbabwe Conservation Force said.

"This is standard procedure for lions," it warned.

Compounding the problem, "the females of the pride could die trying to defend those young," said Jeff Flocken, the North American regional director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Effing bastard.



Walter Palmer Stalks Beast With an Eye on the Record Book, NYT, September 12, 2009

As the 2009 season approached, Walter J. Palmer, a dentist in his late 40s from Eden Prairie, Minn., paid $45,000 for a tag at an auction to finance preservation of the elk habitat. Palmer, said to be capable of skewering a playing card from 100 yards with his compound bow, has cultivated a purist’s reputation for his disinclination to carry firearms as backup. Learning to shoot at age 5, he has slain all but one of the animals recognized by Pope and Young.

“I don’t have a golf game,” Palmer said.

Probably soon, he won't have a livelihood, a marriage, family relations or freedom either.


But it must've made him feel like a big man, so he'll have his memories.


The world's fury is coming for this guy.

[RKP5637]

64. Yep, and he supposedly said he didn't know anything was being done that was

wrong. Like WTF! Definitely this guy is unfit to be a dentist, needs to be given real punishment, not letting him buy his way out.

[herding cats]

68. He said he didn't know "until the end of the hunt."

"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."
http://www.startribune.com/zimbabwe-2-to-appear-in-court-for-killing-cecil-the-lion/318828251/

Yet he hacked off his head for a trophy and skinned him after he knew he'd screwed up royally? Yeah, that's totally believable.

He's a lying sack of feces and he deserves what he's getting.

[RKP5637]

70. This is great, hope it really happens!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027024966

[herding cats]

71. Thanks for that.

I signed it and it felt good doing so.

I doubt it's likely he'll face legal action for what he did, but it felt good to sign it all the same.

[spiderpig]

74. And this guy's a HEALTH CARE PROVIDER???

Intentional caps. He makes me vomit.

[herding cats]

79. You're not alone in your feelings.

He makes me sick to my stomach, too! I keep thinking about the cubs and what's going to happen to them now. All because some rich jerk wanted to feel like a big man by killing a lion in a canned hunt. I only managed to force myself to read the details of the death today. I really wish I hadn't. It's so sick and twisted, I wish I didn't know it now. My dreams are going to be haunted tonight.

[MH1]

97. "The world's fury is coming for this guy." << Not enough, doesn't solve the problem.

The world's fury needs to come down on all the big game trophy hunt clubs and shut down this "sport". The one Palmer belongs to has 55,000 members.

I'm ok with hunting under some circumstances. Culling deer herds, for example, assuming it's done by skilled marksmen and the meat is collected and used to help feed the poor in some way. But that's a world of difference from the type of "hunting" that is done by these clubs.

I mean gmafb ... how is it even "hunting" if the prey is lured by bait into an area where you can easily shoot him? There's no more skill in that than shooting at a firing range. You want something more random, take up paintball. Asshole.

[Gman]

45. I hope his life remains miserable for many many years to come

He deserves it.

[hamsterjill]

46. What these rich assholes fail to understand when they commit these murders is

That this is OUR planet, too. I'm so sick of seeing beautiful, thriving creatures murdered by rich elitists whose only motivation is to have a bunch of heads hung on a wall to impress their equally rich elitist friends. It's cruel, it's wasteful, and it's completely uncalled for.

It's time these assholes start receiving the kind of attention that they deserve. I do not advocate violence and certainly nothing illegal. But it is the right of the people to protest peacefully, AND it is the right of people seeking dental treatment to decide not to use a particular facility. Thanks to social media, the word is getting out about people like Palmer and the atrocities which they commit.

[rocktivity]

47. Maybe Corey Knowlton can grant him asylum

From the Twelfth Annual "You Call This NEWS?" Awards

[div style="text-align:center"]FIRST RUNNER UP

Corey Knowlton, who won auction to kill endangered black rhino, now fears for his life
Media Source: Raw Story
Posted by: Judi Lynn

Best Post (Other Than Mine): "How's it feel, f*cker?"
-- Tabasco

The predator has become the prey...


rocktivity

[seafan]

48. His business 'disrupted'; hopes to “resume normal operations as soon as possible.”

Star Tribune, July 29, 2015

Palmer wrote in a notice to his patients that his practice is closed for the time being, saying his business has been disrupted by the “substantial number of calls and comments from people who are angered by this situation and by the practice of hunting in general.”

He added that he hopes to “resume normal operations as soon as possible.” In the meantime, Palmer continued, referrals to other dentists are being arranged.

Along with repeating his statement from Tuesday, the dentist also told his clients, “I don’t often talk about hunting with my patients because it can be a divisive and emotionally charged topic. I understand and respect that not everyone shares the same views on hunting.”

Outside Palmer’s office Wednesday, about a dozen police officers were on the scene and have sealed off from traffic a block of Rhode Island Avenue in both directions, hours ahead of the protest’s formal start. About a half-dozen demonstrators were on hand in the early afternoon, while other people drove by promising to return.

.....

Palmer, who was in the Twin Cities as of Tuesday evening, has not been charged.

'Normal operations' ended for him on July 1, 2015.

[frylock]

72. This asshole really lives in his own little world, doesn't he?

Yeah, resuming normal operations as soon as possible isn't really in the cards for this dumbshit.

[Dont call me Shirley]

49. "Only a psychopath would do this" to you I say, Walter. Nightmares of your own beheading will haunt

you until the day you leave this earth.

[OldRedneck]

50. Dr. Palmer has a criminal record and then some

http://www.startribune.com/what-we-know-about-minnesota-dentist-walter-palmer/318943371/

Palmer pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2008 related to the poaching of a black bear in Wisconsin two years earlier. Palmer and others transported the bear, which was killed 40 miles outside of a legal hunting zone, to a registration station inside the legal area. Palmer was sentenced to one year of probation and fined nearly $3,000.

In the spring of 2003, Palmer was convicted in Otter Tail County in western Minnesota and paid a small fine for fishing without a license, a misdemeanor.

Palmer is listed as a member of the trophy hunting organization Safari Club International. His profile on SCI’s website lists 43 kills, including caribou, moose, deer, buffalo, a polar bear and mountain lion.

State records show Palmer has held hunting and fishing licenses in Minnesota, Florida and Alaska.

In a 2009 article on big-game hunting, the New York Times reported that Palmer killed a near-record sized elk with a bow and arrow in Northern California.

Palmer told the Times that he can hit a playing card from 100 yards with his compound bow and he eschews bringing a firearm on hunting trips as a backup.
Palmer reportedly paid more than $54,000 for the hunting trip to Zimbabwe.

A neighbor described Palmer and his wife as very private.

In 2009, Palmer agreed to a settlement with the Minnesota Board of Dentistry over allegations that he sexually harassed a receptionist. She alleged that Palmer made comments about her breasts, buttocks and genitalia. Without admitting guilt, Palmer settled and paid $127,500 to the woman, who also was his patient. The settlement included references to his bear-hunting conviction and “substandard record keeping.”

Politicususa says that the dentist gave $5,000 to the Romney campaign. A Republican!?!?!?!?!? How can that be???

[seafan]

54. 2009: Walter Palmer settles $127,500 sexual harassment suit involving his receptionist.

He also preys on women.

Walter Palmer, a Minnesota dentist who sparked an angry firestorm by killing Cecil, a famous and protected lion on a big game hunt in Zimbabwe, settled a sexual harassment claim against him in 2009 for $127,500.

According to public documents posted below, Palmer is accused of sexually harassing a receptionist, who was also his patient, between July of 1999 and January of 2005. The woman “was subjected to verbal comments and physical conduct involving her breasts, buttocks, and genitalia.”

The woman informed her supervisor and Palmer that she wanted it to stop, but it didn’t, and she alleges she was fired for reporting the harassment, according to the document. Palmer paid out the settlement without admitting to the allegations.

Aside from agreeing to pay $127,500, Palmer had to undergo “at least three hours” of sexual harassment training and provide the woman a signed letter of recommendation for future prospective employers.

This guy is nothing but a filthy predator.

[Faygo Kid]

58. +1. Glad he's ruined. Next, a gig on Fox News?

What a scumbag.

[world wide wally]

51. And this asshole's idea of fishing is going to the fish market and picking up a lobster from the

tank.
Wait! Maybe that's too dangerous for him without a few guides around with nets and guns.

[catbyte]

52. That fake veneer rictus grin of that POS makes me sick. That lion was worth 10 of that

rich, arrogant, entitled worthless piece of garbage. Maxed out his personal donations to the Romney campaign. Why am I not surprised?

[seafan]

55. Mr. Palmer, how about using that $50K to provide free dental care for people in Africa?

Instead of a bribe to kill a majestic creature to adorn your wall?

There will be consequences for this decision.

[jtuck004]

57. You know, doc, one of the psychologists that was paid to help the U.S. be better at torturing lives

just South of Spokane. Big place, lots of security. Probably better security than the sometimes innocent families he helped torture.

Anyway, I bet he has room, and I think you both have a lot in common. Or perhaps lack some of the same things. If you are looking for a place, that is.

[DebbieCDC]

60. Jimmy Kimmel spent 5 min. last night shredding this POS

It is a thing of beauty

http://www.salon.com/2015/07/29/jimmy_kimmel_eviscerates_a_hole_dentist_who_wants_a_lions_head_over_the_fireplace_in_his_man_cave_proving_hes_late_nights_true_hero/

[seafan]

61. UK Independent: $55K was an illegal bribe Palmer paid to his wildlife guides

Independent UK:

Authorities in Zimbabwe say Walter Palmer, from Minneapolis, paid a $55,000 (£35,000) bribe to wildlife guides to allow him to shoot the lion, named Cecil, with a crossbow.

(bold type added)

Slate:

However, Palmer didn’t just stumble upon the lion: According to Zimbabwean authorities quoted in the Independent, he allegedly bribed wildlife guides $55,000 for the honor. And a federal law called the Travel Act forbids foreign travel with the intent to engage in certain “unlawful activities” overseas. One of those activities is bribery. If Palmer traveled to Zimbabwe to hunt exotic species, and planned to bribe guides if necessary to access his prey, that offense would fall within the broad scope of the Travel Act. Palmer could be prosecuted in America for it.

The second way to make Palmer answer for his alleged crimes would be to extradite him to Zimbabwe to stand trial there. That would be a fairly simple affair. The United States has a generous extradition treaty with Zimbabwe, which contains a “dual criminality” clause. Under the treaty, if an American commits an act in Zimbabwe that is illegal under both American and Zimbabwean law—and which is punishable by more than one year in prison—America is “obligated” to extradite him to Zimbabwe (and vice versa). Palmer’s potential violation under the Travel Act is punishable by up to five years in prison under U.S. law; his alleged bribery is punishable by many years in prison in Zimbabwe. His crime thus fulfills the “dual criminality” requirement of the treaty, and America must extradite him to Zimbabwe if the government so desires.

A trial in Zimbabwe would have its benefits—namely, that the witnesses and evidence would all be close at hand. Plus, the government could prosecute Palmer for his more egregious crime: Hunting without a permit, in violation of Zimbabwe law. A trial in the U.S., on the other hand, would have the guarantees of impartiality and procedural fairness that might be lacking in Zimbabwe. Either way, it’s clear that both countries could prosecute Palmer if they wish to. The odds seem high that Palmer will see his day in court.

We demand justice.

[TBF]

65. I'd be happy with him facing a jury of Cecil's peers. nt

[msanthrope]

77. and that post wins the internet for today. nt

[Kermitt Gribble]

104. +1 n/t

[seafan]

66. Marco Island, FL homeowner faces backlash after killing Cecil the lion

The dentist has since said he is "upset" over the fierce backlash he has faced, and insisted he had no idea the lion he killed was protected.

Palmer, who has a felony record in the US related to shooting a black bear in Wisconsin, released a statement on Tuesday after Zimbabwean authorities identified him as the American involved in the July hunt. They said Palmer is being sought on poaching charges, but he has claimed that he hasn't heard from US or Zimbabwean authorities.

Perhaps it's because they haven't found you yet, Mr. Palmer.


Marco Island, FL homeowner faces backlash after killing Cecil the lion, News-Press, 5:49 p.m. EDT July 29, 2015

Minnesota dentist, Walter James Palmer, has recently come under fire for killing a beloved lion, USA Today reports.

.....

Palmer, 55, insisted he had no idea the lion he hunted was Cecil. Palmer owns a home in the 900 block of Scott Drive in Marco Island, according to the Collier County Property Appraiser website.

A few additional items:


Mr. Palmer hires a PR firm to run interference for him.

After being publicly identified by the London Telegraph, Dr. Palmer hired J. Austin & Associates, a public relations firm.

Sarah H. wrote: "I'll admit, a trip to the dentist has never been my favorite, but I can't imagine a more horrific experience than waking up to realize a penny of my hard-earned money had gone to assist this man in his heartless pursuit of micropenile compensation."

.....

Two Zimbabweans have been arrested in the case: Theo Bronchorst, a professional hunter who is alleged to have taken Palmer to the area, and Honest Trymore Ndlovu, the owner of the land where Cecil was allegedly killed.

The United States has a strong extradition treaty with Zimbabwe that was signed by President Bill Clinton and has been in effect since 2000. The treaty requires that an individual accused of acts that violate both Zimbabwe and United States laws must be extradited for trial.

A Minnesota congressional representative, Betty McCollum, has called for a federal investigation to determine if Walter Palmer broke any U.S. laws in the hunt that killed Cecil the Lion. If it is found that Palmer violated domestic as well as Zimbabwean laws, he would be sent back to Zimbabwe, assuming officials in that country request his extradition.

The Zimbabwean Parks & Wildlife Authority said Bronkhorst and the local landowner, Honest Ndlovu, will appear in court in Victoria Falls on Wednesday to face poaching charges.

“Both the professional hunter and land owner had no permit or quota to justify the offtake of the lion and therefore are liable for the illegal hunt,” it added.

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

A Texan hunter shot an elderly black rhino in Namibia in May after buying a government-issued licence for $350,000 (£224,000).

Via Kos:

Cecil was a major tourist attraction in Hwange National Park… Cecil was a source of steady income for the local tourism industry, as tourists paid to stay in the nearby lodge and hired guides to find him for photo-ops; he could have kept on doing that for years just by being permitted to live. He already had generated far more money than the $50,000 or so this porcine Midwestern shit-for-brains paid to kill him, and could have done it many times over had he not been killed for no good reason.

When the hunter becomes the hunted.

[msanthrope]

78. Anybody in Marco Island who can see if the lights are on? nt

[seafan]

81. No answer at the door in Marco Island.

Jul 29, 2015 7:47 PM EST

A Minnesota dentist and big game hunter is facing criticism worldwide for killing a beloved lion in Zimbabwe. The man, Walter James Palmer, has a second home on Marco Island.

Neighbors say he hasn’t spent a lot of time there.

"I've never met them, never seen them," neighbor Katie Derwin said.

"I've seen his wife a lot more than him," Gerald Hautman said.

Palmer killed Cecil the Lion, a well-known cat that’s been the center of a lot of research. Palmer’s hunting guides are facing questions about their permits, after they reportedly lured Cecil out of a national park to Palmer.

No one answered the door at the Palmer’s Marco Island home. People who live on the street didn’t even know they spotted their neighbor on national news.

"Still didn't recognize him. No idea," Hautman said.

Palmer’s neighbors haven't had much time to get to know him. According to real estate records he bought his Marco Island home in 2013.

"It's largely a second home, third home market," real estate agent Paul Tateo said.

Tateo says Palmer’s neighborhood is one of the wealthiest on the island.

"Most of those homes have nobody in them this time of year," Tateo said.

Walter James Palmer will be found.

[Avalon Sparks]

67. I'm still so mad about this...

I'm still furious, so mad about this. It's like the final straw foe me with this barbaric, repulsive, psychotic trophy hunting bullshit. For a legitimate sport, these ultimate fuckers should hunt each other, call it Big Douchbag Hunting. If I had just one wish today, I seriously think it would be that someone beat the shit out of this mother fucker, then skin him and hang his head on the door of Safari International's Club corporate office. How many points for THAT motherfuckers?

I'm not a tree hugger, and I eat meat, and I even don't bash hunters that respectively hunt for the meat to eat.

But to kill these majestic animals as a trophy?? Acting like its some accomplishment? Proud of what is nothing more than a sucker punch? These individuals are as sick as a pedophiles that prey on the defenseless for gratification.

I'm beyond furious, and im driven to put my own money to good use and start supporting some of the more radical animal activist groups. Any recommendations.

[spiderpig]

75. You said everything I'm feeling.

I can't get this story out of my head.

[herding cats]

69. Dr "I'm a big man for killing a lion in a canned hunt" Palmer's PR person dumped his ass today.

Seems his PR guy was getting too much flack for his association with him to continue representing him. Imagine that?

[catrose]

83. terrific!

If the PR guy was handling the Twitter feed, Palmer was getting ripped off.😛
"Let's be positive!"

[PatrickforO]

88. Yeah, no amount of PR can get around something like this. Unless you're a billionaire like the Kochs

[Bradical79]

110. Crazy world

I find it crazy that a dentist can afford a million dollar home, a PR guy, make it through felony charges and sexual harassment lawsuits, and still fund expensive vacations for the sole purpose of killing exotic animals. This is the same country where someone's life can be ruined for smoking pot, or executed for looking wrong at a police officer, and getting sick or pursuing higher education can put someone in debt for life. I see a lot of the problems in our country encapsulated in this one person.

[christx30]

80. Picture from Imgur:

http://imgur.com/gallery/VwNwhDC

[steve2470]

85. more added

[seafan]

82. Florida Senator Marco Rubio just weighed in.

It figures that this little pissant piped up today.

Marco RubioVerified account
?@marcorubio

Look at all this outrage over a dead lion, but where is all the outrage over the planned parenthood dead babies.

&$%^ %, Rubio.

[restorefreedom]

91. oh, just fuck off, senator. nt

[Helen Borg]

95. Righto... In Rubio's mind...

Every time a guy masturbates, a million potential babies are killed. Just saying...

[annm4peace]

84. I hope the law goes after his friends, family, and coworkers

I hope if any of them knew what this jerk was up to and did nothing to stop it. Didn't alert any law enforcement then they should be held accountable also. You know this guy was bragging about what he was going to do.

At his office where a couple other dentists are also.. 1st night.. simple protest, and people put up stuffed animals at the door. Tonight.. over 200 people.. and signs with more anger to them were taped up on the building and on the windows.

Next i would expect some vandalism especially graffiti. and who knows what after that.

[tex-wyo-dem]

86. I am not a violent person by any means, but...

I'll have to admit that I've had fantasies the last couple of days of knocking the pearly whites right out of Walter's head...

Let him fix his own fucking teeth

[restorefreedom]

92. whoops, can't seem to find the ol anesthesia, dr.

but you're ok with pain, anyway, right? you seem to love it......

[lobodons]

93. Protective custody

Seems Cecils cubs should be taken into protective custody of some kind to spare them the infanticide fate described in article.

[Helen Borg]

94. Perhaps it's post hoc, but...

He looks sadistic to me. I mean, something in his grin that is consistent with somebody enjoying inflicting pain. Am I just imagining things?

[blackspade]

96. Palmer can go fuck himself

Asshole.

[zentrum]

99. Cecil was a great and

…..mighty lion. His death has had the power to stop this monster from killing many future magnificent and endangered animals.

[Sunlei]

105. probably off on another fabulous 200k vacation to slay some other beautiful wild animal.

[niyad]

106. good. it is no less than he deserves.

personally, I would love to see him ian gibsoned.

[undiegrinder]

108. Anyone else remember the deer scene in "Powder"?

Wish this could happen in real life.

Might be kinda fun to tell Dr. Palmer that curing his 'truth-ache' would require 'mental extraction' ...

[spiderpig]

113. Mr. Macho-Man Health Care Giver is in hiding

No wonder this guy is the focus of international hatred.

[raven mad]

114. THERE SHOULD BE NO SUCH THING AS "SPORT" HUNTING.

I hunt or food and it ALL gets used. The waste these assholes cause is immense and should NOT be tolerated.

[Tab]

115. I do believe he probably didn't know it was Cecil

(not that that excuses it), but undoubtedly he knew it was illegal to lure them out of the sanctuary and he damned sure knew it was wrong when they found him with a collar on. Despite the collar, they beheaded him anyway.

Not only all that, but I doubt that head is hanging in Minnesota. I don't know how the process works, but I assume it would go to a local taxidermist, and after however much time it took, it would be shipped back to the United States. Pretty sure you can't take a fresh lion's head through customs and do it over here. And I doubt there was time to stuff it and bring it back already.

[restorefreedom]

117. i believe that i read

that the head and skin have been recovered by local authorities. he ain't getting it back.

scum sucking shitbag.

[seafan]

121. My, my. A nice little enclave in a very wealthy neighborhood.

via "LavishTour dot com"

Impressive gold faucets in the bathroom.

[seafan]

122. Walter Palmer remains on the run.

A few more items of note from UK sources:

BBC, 30 July 2015:

US officials have launched an investigation into the killing of a lion in Zimbabwe but say they have been unable to reach the American involved.

.....

Director Dan Ashe (of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)) said they will "go where facts lead" but efforts to reach Walter Palmer have been unsuccessful.

.....

On Thursday, the White House said it would review a public petition to extradite the American dentist after more than 100,000 signed it.

But spokesman Josh Earnest said it was up to the US justice department to respond to any extradition order.

The whereabouts of Mr Palmer is currently unknown, but he is thought to have returned to the US after Cecil was killed on 1 July.

Prosecutors in Zimbabwe have charged the hunter who supervised Mr Palmer's outing, Theo Bronkhorst, for killing a lion not authorised to be hunted. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

The country's safari organization also said the way in which Cecil was lured out of a national park was unethical and possibly illegal.

A second suspect, farm owner Honest Ndlovu, was also arrested but is yet to be charged.

(via Daily Mail)
Posters paying tribute to Cecil the lion as well as criticising Dr Palmer have been put up outside his dental practice in Bloomington

Daily Mail, 11:28 EST, 29 July 2015

The head and skin hacked from a treasured lion killed by a U.S. dentist have been handed over to police in Zimbabwe.

Dr Walter Palmer's trophy - Cecil the lion's head - is unlikely to be up on his wall any time soon because it has been given to officers before being taken to a taxidermist.

The dentist - who's been in hiding for four days - is facing the threat of prosecution in the U.S. and his international hunting organisation membership has been suspended.

Dr Palmer has received death threats and animal rights campaigners have ramped up protests outside his Minnesota dental practice after he admitted killing Cecil the lion - the most famous lion in Hwange National Park.

This evening, The White House said it would review the public petition to extradite the dentist after it exceeded the required 100,000 signatures. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it is up to the Justice Department to respond to an extradition order.

Professional Zimbabwean hunter, Theo Bronkhorst, appeared in court yesterday on charges of failing to prevent an illegal hunt after he organised the expedition on which Dr Palmer killed Cecil.

He was granted bail and ordered to lodge a $1,000 (£640) deposit at the court in Hwange in northwestern Zimbabwe, after a day of negotiations between police, prosecutors and lawyers.

Today it was revealed Cecil's remains, which had been kept in Mr Bronkhorst's home ahead of curing at a taxidermist, have been handed over to police.

According to The Telegraph, he said the body parts will probably remain in Zimbabwe rather than being taken to the U.S.

His lawyer, Givemore Mvhiringi, told the paper: 'I advised my client to hand over the head and skin of the dead lion to the police...'

Mr Bronkhorst's trial date is set for August 5. Police in Zimbabwe declined to comment on the whereabouts of Cecil's remains when contacted by MailOnline.

Co-accused Honest Ndlovu, a land owner who appeared before magistrates yesterday, was scheduled to attend court today on separate charges.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is looking at the complaint made by Democrat congresswoman Betty McCollum in his home state of Minnesota.

She told MailOnline: 'To bait and kill a threatened animal, like this African lion, for sport cannot be called hunting, but rather a disgraceful display of callous cruelty.

'I strongly believe the U.S. Attorneys’ Office and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should investigate whether U.S. laws were violated related to conspiracy, bribery of foreign officials, and the illegal hunting of a protected species or animal.'

Today, Edward Grace, deputy chief of law enforcement at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing of Cecil.

'That investigation will take us wherever the facts lead,' he said. 'At this point in time, however, multiple efforts to contact Dr Walter Palmer have been unsuccessful. We ask that Dr Palmer or his representative contact us immediately.'

Today, Safari Club International (SCI), which promotes big-game hunting and has about 55,000 members worldwide, issued a statement saying Dr Palmer and Mr Bronkhorst's memberships will be suspended and that it wants a 'full and thorough investigation'.

The club said: 'Those who intentionally take wildlife illegally should be prosecuted and punished to the maximum extent allowed by law.'

The dentist is a specialist bow and arrow hunter and has 43 registered kills on the SCI website.

And as his troubles escalate, even the PR firm that Dr Palmer hired to help him deal with the media firestorm has deserted him.

The company, which specialises in 'crisis and issue management, special situations, transactions and transitions' has said they no longer represent the dentist and said another, as-yet unidentified firm had taken on his case.

The much loved big cat was wounded by an arrow after he was allegedly lured out of the national park by the hunter's bait.

After tracking the injured beast, Cecil was eventually found and shot dead. His corpse was then skinned and the head hacked off as a trophy.

Dr Palmer said he was unaware of Cecil's fame and expressed regret but denied any illegality and laid any blame firmly at the door of his guides.

Not going to work, Mr. Palmer. We can only hope that you feel as much fear as the majestic creatures you murdered for pleasure.

Mr Bronkhorst, who allegedly acted as Dr Palmer's guide, has been stripped of his licence while he faces criminal charges, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority and the Safari Operators Association said in a joint statement.

Mr Ndlovu is also facing criminal charges over claims he did not have a hunting permit, the joint statement added.

An early statement issued by the Zimbabwean Parks Authority said: 'Theo Bronkhorst, a professional hunter with Bushman Safaris, is facing criminal charges for allegedly killing a collared lion on Antoinette farm in Gwayi Conservancy, Hwange district on 1 July 2015.

'Both the professional hunter and land owner had no permit or quota to justify the offtake of the lion and therefore are liable for the illegal hunt.'

The statement said that Mr Bronkhorst's son Zane was also wanted for questioning, and that the lion trophy had been confiscated.

Bronkhorst's business, Bushman Safaris Zimbabwe, said on its Facebook page that the fees hunters pay to shoot wildlife helps preserve the animal's habitats.

Cecil was one of the park's oldest lions and was well known for his striking looks and friendly nature.

According to local legend, Cecil was kicked out of his pride and wandered alone until he met another lone lion called Jericho. Cecil and Jericho both had a pride, comprised of six lionesses and several young cubs, situated in the park.

Beks Ndlovo, chief executive of the African Bush Camps, a private safari company in Zimbabwe, called for the hunting of lions to be stopped.

He said: 'In my personal capacity... I strongly object and vehemently disagree with the legalising and practice of hunting lions in any given area.

'I will personally be encouraging Zimbabwe National Parks and engaging with government officials to stop the killing of lions and with immediate effect.'

via Daily Mail


Rest in peace, dear king.

[roamer65]

123. You want to really punish this bastard?

Simply freeze and confiscate ALL of his accounts and assets, literally take everything he owns away from him, take his license to practice and make him poor.

That is what these bastards fear most. It would be hell on earth for him.

I would advise the Zimbabwean government to file a civil case against him here in the U.S.

[seafan]

127. Minn. Star Trib reached Palmer by phone Wednesday. "I'm meeting with my team."

You're not getting away with it, Mr. Palmer.


Sydney Morning Herald, July 31, 2015 - 1:57PM

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reached Dr Palmer by telephone on Wednesday and requested an interview.

He said, "I'm meeting with my team," and declined to say more.

Dr Palmer did not answer his phone on Thursday morning.

Unbridled greed. Predation. Pride. Amorality. Cowardice.

So many evil qualities in such a small man.

[Lodestar]

128. I wonder if they could create an alert system whereby their collars

sound an alarm when they leave the refuge?