Cecil the Lion was an iconic and well-loved figure of the Zimbabwean savannah. He walked the grasslands of Hwange’s National Park, was the head of his own pride, and reared cubs to carry on his lineage. Cecil sported an unusual black mane, and visitors would always keep a charismatic eye out for him.
Until most recently, it was believed that a hunter paid a local man $55,000 to lure Cecil out of the protection of the grounds so he could be hunted “legally” on a local resident’s land. The lion was injured by a crossbow shot, tracked for 40 hours, and was later decapitated and skinned. It was also said that the hunter had failed to remove and hide Cecil’s tracking collar.
After thorough investigation, the Zimbabwe Tourism authority have named Cecil’s killer to be a certain Walter Palmer, a big game hunter who also holds a dental practice in Minnesota.
#WalterJamesPalmer was the man who killed #CecilTheLion. This was an #illegalhunt. #VisitZimbabwe #263Chat #wildlife #illegalhunting
— #VisitZimbabwe (@tourismzimbabwe) July 28, 2015
The findings drew the ire of the Internet. Ricky Gervais and a host of other celebrities expressed their disgust of the whole affair on Twitter.
It’s not for food. It’s not the shooting, or tin cans would do. It must just be the thrill of killing. Mental. https://t.co/0fjtXoC1ML
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) July 28, 2015
This #WalterPalmer is a poor excuse of a human being!
— Cara Delevingne (@Caradelevingne) July 28, 2015
This is heartbreaking in every possible way. What a loss. Trophy hunting is SHAMEFUL and disgusting. #CecilTheLion https://t.co/hnzcFJnCK0
— Mandy Moore (@TheMandyMoore) July 29, 2015
RIP #CecilTheLion how is killing these animals in any context legal?
— Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) July 29, 2015
How dare you #walterpalmer !!!! As a South African and as a human being I can’t express how deeply… https://t.co/gGO32Dpp34
— Candice Swanepoel (@angelcandice) July 28, 2015
@LanaDRead yeah, w/u friend. And Humans are supposed to be the evolved beings? #CecilTheLion was tortured and killed for ‘fun’. Shame on us
— Sanjeev Bhaskar (@TVSanjeev) July 29, 2015
There’s been so much backlash on social media against Walter Palmer, that it seems he’s elected to close up shop for the day. Or infinitely. No one one’s for sure, but it does seem no one’s home at all.
Dental practice belonging to controversial big game hunter Walter Palmer completely locked down. All shades drawn. pic.twitter.com/opvzJp8ea9
— Paul Blume (@PaulBlume_FOX9) July 28, 2015
The home of Dr. Walter Palmer. The big game hunter is not here. Not at work. Still looking… #CecilTheLion pic.twitter.com/Xv29nKTBaj
— Paul Blume (@PaulBlume_FOX9) July 28, 2015
Local people have turned up, leaving animal plushies and flowers to remember Cecil.
Cecil The Lion’s killer, Walter Palmer, will be greeted with this when he arrives for work today /@piersmorgan pic.twitter.com/nf7yMN382r
— Andrew Bloch (@AndrewBloch) July 29, 2015
Other Twitter users also decried the practice of big game hunting and mourned the majestic lion. #CecilTheLion became one of the most volatile hashtags this week on Twitter.
Dr Walter J Palmer you disgusting coward! #CeciltheLion ? pic.twitter.com/UP04AVsHZN
— Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) July 29, 2015
Dentist says he didn’t know that #CecilTheLion was special. WHY ARE YOU HUNTING LIONS AT ALL!?!?!
— Meaghan Walsh Gerard (@cineastesview) July 29, 2015
“Any man that sees death as a trophy has actually failed in the game of life.” Wilkine Brutus @wilkinebrutus #CecilTheLion #LoveLife
— Gordana Biernat (@MyPowertalk) July 29, 2015
This is how REAL men shoot animals! Take a picture, not a trophy. Heartbroken ? RIP #CecilTheLion pic.twitter.com/MTMAuPtiG6
— Leandri J van Vuuren (@Lean3Jvv) July 29, 2015
Cecil has left behind 24 of his own cubs, which may likely be killed by rival prides with the absence of their Alpha.
At present, an online petition has been set up as a call for President Mugabe to finally ban big game hunting and to cease issuing hunting permits.
UPDATE: Jimmy Kimmel reveals that Cecil was part of a 13-year-long Oxford University research program. Watch him break down into tears over Cecil below:
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