US dentist blamed for Zimbabwe lion killing
Conservationists in Zimbabwe say the man who pai d $50,000 (£32,000) to kill the country’s most famous lion was an American dentist. The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF) named the tourist as Walter Palmer from Minnesota and said he shot the animal with a crossbow and rifle. The lion, named Cecil, was later skinned and […]
Conservationists in Zimbabwe say the man who pai
d $50,000 (£32,000) to kill the country’s most famous lion was an American dentist.
The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF) named the tourist as Walter Palmer from Minnesota and said he shot the animal with a crossbow and rifle.
The lion, named Cecil, was later skinned and beheaded, the ZCTF said.
Two Zimbabwean men who were involved face poaching charges because the group did not have a hunting permit.
The men – a professional hunter and a farm owner – could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison in Zimbabwe if they are found guilty. They are due to appear in court on Wednesday.
It is unclear whether Mr Palmer has already returned to the US but Zimbabwean police confirmed that he could also face poaching charges.