Skip to content
Support Us

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Walt Palmer, left and another lion. Shame Lion Killer Dr Walter Palmer and River Bluff Dental via Facebook

American dentist who 'paid $50,000 to kill a lion with a crossbow' wanted by police

The lion’s name is Cecil.

POLICE IN ZIMBABWE are seeking an American dentist who they say paid $50,000 to shoot a protected lion named Cecil.

The American, named as Walter James Palmer from the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, said that he “believes that he might have” shot the lion.

A spokesperson for Palmer told The Guardian that the killing was legal.

What he’ll tell you is that he had the proper legal permits and he had hired several professional guides, so he’s not denying that he may be the person who shot this lion. He is a big-game hunter; he hunts the world over.

The American 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.

11249769_478625765638759_2810673765303848488_n Palmer with a leopard he shot in 2010.

The two arrested Zimbabwean men — a professional hunter and a farm owner — face poaching charges, the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority and the Safari Operators Association said in a joint statement.

Killing the lion was illegal because the farm owner did not have a hunting permit, the joint statement said. The lion was skinned and beheaded. The hunters tried to destroy the lion’s collar, fitted with a tracking device, but failed, the statement said.

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

The lion is believed to have been shot at the start of July.

PastedImage-80490 Palmer and a white rhino - a world record for a kill with a bow.

During a nighttime hunt, the men tied a dead animal to their car to lure the lion out of a national park, said Johnny Rodrigues, chairman of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force.

The American is believed to have shot it with a crossbow, injuring the animal.

The wounded lion was found 40 hours later, and shot dead with a gun, Rodrigues said in the statement.

“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,” said Rodrigues.

The black-maned Cecil was being studied by Oxford University, conservation groups said.

With reporting from AP.

Read: More than 340 dogs have been rehomed from an “appalling” puppy farm in Carlow

Read: Road marking crew paint over dead cat rather than move it

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
114 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aire Dezamba
    Favourite Aire Dezamba
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:21 AM

    Meanwhile 8000 army personnel in barracks with little to do all day…

    128
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Scott
    Favourite Alan Scott
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 10:28 AM

    @Aire Dezamba:
    Its a nice thought ? You don’t expect the Army to to police hooligans on public transport Draft all the hooligans into the Army

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dominic Leleu
    Favourite Dominic Leleu
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 11:42 AM

    @Alan Scott: no I am expecting them to get rid of the gangs and drug dealers.

    9
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shane Murphy
    Favourite Shane Murphy
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 11:59 AM

    @Aire Dezamba: it’s funny that so many areas there is no money for. Yet every budget , there is over an extra half billion for an already insane welfare spend …

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Linehan
    Favourite Paul Linehan
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:26 AM

    An Garda Siochana have enough to tackle without being involved in the issues involving public transport. Ticket checks by inspectors on Dublin Bus are as rare as they’ve ever been. Anti social behaviour, drug use and dealing and fare evasion are rife on our public transport system and no Minister give a flying fcuk because they don’t use it, unless it’s first class service on Irish Rail. Meanwhile the general public run the gauntlet going about their business and hope they get home from their days work with their belonging in tack and their clothes odour free of smoke. It’s time for a dedicated transport police policy.

    97
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Scott
    Favourite Alan Scott
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:48 AM

    @Paul Linehan: I was on the luas going to Broadstone there was a ticket check on the way there and another one on the way back I returned on the red line with no sign of a check on either side.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Linehan
    Favourite Paul Linehan
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 10:15 AM

    @Alan Scott: To be fair to the Luas. I’ve seen plenty of ticket checks on both lines and security interventions for anti social issues.

    7
    Pip
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pip
    Favourite Pip
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:11 AM

    FFS I’ve been saying it for years as it’s been everywhere else in the world for years. Fukin no brainer ideas take generations to be seen as sensible in this country.

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Stephens
    Favourite James Stephens
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:07 PM

    @Pip: I’m not aware of any country apart from Britain with a transport police. NYC merged theirs with the NYPD some time ago

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan Scott
    Favourite Alan Scott
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:44 AM

    So the only alternative is when public service vehicle’s been stoned is to make all of the Communities suffer by pulling the service? You put that against Ministerial cars been stoned you will get a swift reaction from the Garda .Two sets of rules for the same job.

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute BreadBasketCase
    Favourite BreadBasketCase
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:49 AM

    Cosy relationship with the government in the top brass of the Gardaí, any attempt to usurp the elite and offer another force to compare the performance of the Gardaí will obviously be met with reluctance. Charlie Flanagan acting as a mouthpiece for those in charge of the Gardaí. Why does the article not have a quote from the Garda commissioner on this proposal?

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Stephens
    Favourite James Stephens
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:09 PM

    @BreadBasketCase: harbor police were disbanded against Garda wishes. Airport police are glorified security and an Garda siochana has repeatedly called for the airport police to become a fully fledged police force.

    So really, your talking shite

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute j4VEpUO8
    Favourite j4VEpUO8
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 12:26 PM

    Flanagan belongs in a retirement home!

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rosa Lopez
    Favourite Rosa Lopez
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 10:00 AM

    Many thanks to all engaging in antisocial behavior on green luas and other posh “specific areas”. Without you this would never have been possible.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Logan Shepherd
    Favourite Logan Shepherd
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 12:00 PM

    CCTV is great but it’s after the fact.
    The value of Police presence is worth so much more.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute F Fitzgerald Ne Reeves
    Favourite F Fitzgerald Ne Reeves
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 4:20 PM

    Meanwhile they send 400 Garda to Donbeg,Co.Clare to “protect” Trump!

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Stephens
    Favourite James Stephens
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 9:09 PM

    @F Fitzgerald Ne Reeves: when?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute john
    Favourite john
    Report
    May 25th 2019, 11:34 AM

    Full of sh*t

    5
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds