U.S. agencies step up in case of Twin Cities dentist who killed Cecil the lion
Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune
The furor surrounding a Twin Cities big-game hunter continued to mount Wednesday, as protesters swarmed his Bloomington dental office and a leading Zimbabwe conservationist said Walter J. Palmer should return to Africa to explain his killing of a beloved research lion.
People should be accountable for whatever crimes, whatever the case is, Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, said in an interview with the Star Tribune. Rodrigues said it is imperative that Palmer face justice.
Separately, U.S. wildlife regulators said they will assist Zimbabwe authorities in their investigation of the shooting of the lion, known widely and affectionately as Cecil. Palmer has not been charged in Zimbabwe, although his guide and outfitter have.
Also Wednesday, Safari Club International, a global organization of big-game hunters, said it was suspending Palmers membership and that of his Zimbabwe-based guide.
Read more: http://www.startribune.com/police-poised-for-protest-at-shuttered-dentist-office-of-twin-cities-hunter-who-killed-lion/319428081/
Judi Lynn
(160,631 posts)SusanaMontana41
(3,233 posts)trusty elf
(7,402 posts)[img][/img]
Hoppy
(3,595 posts)Google them. Read the linked articles and comments about these brave warriors.
valerief
(53,235 posts)being gunned down by police.
Pacifist Patriot
(24,654 posts)Before anyone makes the assumption I don't care about Cecil's demise, I can assure them I find it as heinous a crime as the next person.
But I sure would like to see this level of outrage when people die needlessly as well.
valerief
(53,235 posts)instead of "proving their manhood" by killing animals. I think of idiots like Cheney hunting disabled quail and Palin shooting wolves from a helicopter when I think of a safari hunter. I don't think of a "real man."
watoos
(7,142 posts)Sarah is more manly than most.
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)hands of POC. What is going on that more has not been done on the issue of the police shootings? I am wondering it they do not have the tools they need to proceed? Why is there so much of this all across the country and nothing gets done?
I am not suggesting that the leaders do not care - I am asking why the agencies to not act even when their heads care?
valerief
(53,235 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)take away his lion skin when it comes in the mail?
Perhaps he will have to work with fish and wildlife baby deer kill-team, for a couple months during fawn season, and get to kill any fawns private citizens have dared to rescue this year.
cab67
(3,009 posts)
it's extremely unlikely any trophies from this hunt will be allowed to enter the country. They're considered evidence in a criminal investigation.
I'm hoping this will go beyond public shaming of a certifiable dirtbag, whether he is prosecuted (here or in Zimbabwe) or not. I hope it will really put a big dent in demand for products made from endangered species. If there's shame associated with having a stuffed lion head, something made from elephant ivory, or a cheetah-skin coat - antiques are excepted - there will be fewer people hunting such animals (legally or otherwise).
I'm in East Africa at the moment. The Cecil killing has been in the news, but the five elephants poached for their ivory in Tsavo have gotten more attention. Two of the poachers have been caught, but the other two have not. As long as people think it's cool to have elephant ivory, poaching (and legal hunting where permitted) will continue.
niyad
(113,582 posts)locks
(2,012 posts)has been going on forever. In Colorado we have frontpage stories in our newspapers about these "great hunters" and their huge trophy rooms. One article interviewed a 15 year old girl from Longmont whose parents had paid for these "sport" jaunts and has been honored for being the youngest person to kill all the Big Five African wild animals. Many African countries collect huge amounts of money from this "sport", much of it from the US.
The only reason it is not considered poaching is that the animals killed do not bring the millions of dollars that ivory brings.