American Dentist Named as Hunter Who Killed Beloved Zimbabwe Lion

Criminal charges are being considered against a professional hunter in Zimbabwe following the killing of a beloved lion.

On July 1^st, 2015, it is alleged that Theo Bronchost helped in the killing of the 13-year-old lion named Cecil. He was well known and regularly sighted by tourists at the main camp area of Hwange National Park. In a statement released by the Zimbabwe parks and wildlife management authority, it is alleged that Bronchost conspired with a landowner to kill the lion and was bribed to do so.

“Ongoing investigations to date, suggest that the killing of the lion was illegal since the land owner was not allocated a lion on his hunting quota for 2015. Therefore, all persons implicated in this case are due to appear in court facing poaching charges,” said the authority in a statement.

Cecil the lion was a beloved animal in Zimbabwe (Photo Credit: Zimbabwe Parks)

Both Bronchost and the landowner are being jointly charged for illegally hunting the lion and are due in court on Wednesday, July 29^th. The hunter alleged to have bribed the men for the hunt has been named by several British media outlets as American dentist Walter Palmer. Palmer is thought to have paid $50,000 to shoot the lion with a bow and arrow. The animal was reportedly beheaded and skinned.

Palmer released a statement on Tuesday regarding the media attention the hunt has received:

The hunters reportedly lured Cecil out of Hwange National Park, where it is illegal to kill wildlife, at night. The killing has promoted worldwide outrage and drawn media attention from all the corners of the globe. A petition has been launched online to demand justice for the lion and as of Tuesday, July 28^th more than 50,000 have signed it.

of course it was an American #CecilTheLion

— kelsey // 9 DAYS (@kelseyishername) July 28, 2015

The image of that murdered lion is really bloody haunting. #CecilTheLion

— R. A. Kennedy (@RomeoRites) July 28, 2015

#CecilTheLion makes me so upset. If you're going to hunt, do it for food. If you're poaching or doing it for sport, I dislike you.

— Mike Crutcher-Lord (@Mick_eye_ee_luh) July 28, 2015