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| American Who Killed Cecil the Lion Keeps Dental Office Closed | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| An American dentist who admitted that he killed a well-known lion this month in Zimbabwe and planned to mount the head kept his office closed on Wednesday as the furor online turned vitriolic and, at times, threatening. | |
| Dr. Walter J. Palmer’s neatly groomed property near Minneapolis, adjacent to a preschool, has turned from a dentist’s office to a memorial to the lion, called Cecil, with red roses and more than a dozen stuffed animals laid outside the locked front door. | |
| There was no answer to repeated knocks and doorbell rings at his large, stucco house in an affluent, wooded neighborhood. His neighbors would not talk. | There was no answer to repeated knocks and doorbell rings at his large, stucco house in an affluent, wooded neighborhood. His neighbors would not talk. |
| In the hours after Dr. Palmer said he had killed the lion under the impression that the hunt was legal and undertaken with the proper permits, he went from a dentist and longtime hunting enthusiast to the villain at the center of a virtual firestorm over the ethics of big-game trophy hunting. He apologized in a statement: “I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.” | In the hours after Dr. Palmer said he had killed the lion under the impression that the hunt was legal and undertaken with the proper permits, he went from a dentist and longtime hunting enthusiast to the villain at the center of a virtual firestorm over the ethics of big-game trophy hunting. He apologized in a statement: “I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.” |
| Trophy hunting, undertaken by wealthy hunters who pay tens of thousands of dollars for licenses to kill protected animals for trophies and sport, has long been a subject of global debate. Hunting advocates and some conservationists argue that, if done responsibly, the selling of expensive licenses to big-game hunters can help pay for efforts to protect endangered species. | Trophy hunting, undertaken by wealthy hunters who pay tens of thousands of dollars for licenses to kill protected animals for trophies and sport, has long been a subject of global debate. Hunting advocates and some conservationists argue that, if done responsibly, the selling of expensive licenses to big-game hunters can help pay for efforts to protect endangered species. |
| When it was reported that a Texas man paid $350,000 to hunt and kill a black rhinoceros in Namibia this year, the debate remained among activists. But the death of Cecil, a 13-year-old lion who wandered out of his sanctuary in a national park in Zimbabwe this month, struck a chord with social media users. Dr. Palmer had paid around $54,000 to hunt the animal, according to news reports. | When it was reported that a Texas man paid $350,000 to hunt and kill a black rhinoceros in Namibia this year, the debate remained among activists. But the death of Cecil, a 13-year-old lion who wandered out of his sanctuary in a national park in Zimbabwe this month, struck a chord with social media users. Dr. Palmer had paid around $54,000 to hunt the animal, according to news reports. |
| According to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, the lion was shot by Dr. Palmer with a crossbow after it was lured out of the sanctuary, following the scent of food. Cecil, well known to those who visited the Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe for his jet black mane, was only injured by the arrow. The hunters tracked the lion for about two days before it was killed with a gun, conservation officials said. It was beheaded and skinned, the corpse left to rot. | According to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, the lion was shot by Dr. Palmer with a crossbow after it was lured out of the sanctuary, following the scent of food. Cecil, well known to those who visited the Hwange National Park in western Zimbabwe for his jet black mane, was only injured by the arrow. The hunters tracked the lion for about two days before it was killed with a gun, conservation officials said. It was beheaded and skinned, the corpse left to rot. |
| As more details around the killing emerged, activists used search engines to find Dr. Palmer’s contact information and social media to share information about his business and his family, stirring a fever pitch of anger strong enough to effectively dismantle his digital life. | As more details around the killing emerged, activists used search engines to find Dr. Palmer’s contact information and social media to share information about his business and his family, stirring a fever pitch of anger strong enough to effectively dismantle his digital life. |
| Angry people sent a surge of traffic to Dr. Palmer’s website, which was taken offline. Vitriolic reviews flooded his Yelp page — “Murderer,” one reviewer wrote. A Facebook page titled “Shame Lion Killer Dr. Palmer and River Bluff Dental” drew thousands of users. Professional profiles of Dr. Palmer were also scrubbed from industry websites. | Angry people sent a surge of traffic to Dr. Palmer’s website, which was taken offline. Vitriolic reviews flooded his Yelp page — “Murderer,” one reviewer wrote. A Facebook page titled “Shame Lion Killer Dr. Palmer and River Bluff Dental” drew thousands of users. Professional profiles of Dr. Palmer were also scrubbed from industry websites. |
| On Wednesday, a memorial to Cecil, comprising stuffed animals, was outside the dentist’s office. Several news media vans were also parked nearby. | On Wednesday, a memorial to Cecil, comprising stuffed animals, was outside the dentist’s office. Several news media vans were also parked nearby. |
| A big-game hunter who prides himself on his skills in hunting without firearms, Dr. Palmer paid $45,000 at an auction to help preserve an elk habitat in California. He was profiled in 2009 in The New York Times, when he shot and killed an elk from 75 yards with a compound bow in pursuit of a new bowhunting record. The Telegraph in Britain reported on Tuesday that he paid around $54,000 for the opportunity to hunt a lion. | A big-game hunter who prides himself on his skills in hunting without firearms, Dr. Palmer paid $45,000 at an auction to help preserve an elk habitat in California. He was profiled in 2009 in The New York Times, when he shot and killed an elk from 75 yards with a compound bow in pursuit of a new bowhunting record. The Telegraph in Britain reported on Tuesday that he paid around $54,000 for the opportunity to hunt a lion. |
| Zimbabwean officials said Dr. Palmer was being sought on poaching charges. In a statement on Tuesday, Dr. Palmer said that he had not been contacted by the authorities, but that he was willing to cooperate with their requests. He said that he believed what he had done was legal. | Zimbabwean officials said Dr. Palmer was being sought on poaching charges. In a statement on Tuesday, Dr. Palmer said that he had not been contacted by the authorities, but that he was willing to cooperate with their requests. He said that he believed what he had done was legal. |
| “I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study, until the end of the hunt,” Dr. Palmer said. “I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt.” | “I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favorite, was collared and part of a study, until the end of the hunt,” Dr. Palmer said. “I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt.” |
| Two Zimbabwean men, a farm owner and a professional hunter, are accused of helping Dr. Palmer hunt the lion. They appeared in court on Wednesday on poaching charges. | Two Zimbabwean men, a farm owner and a professional hunter, are accused of helping Dr. Palmer hunt the lion. They appeared in court on Wednesday on poaching charges. |
| In a joint statement, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe said that the farm owner did not have a hunting permit. The professional hunter’s license has been suspended, the statement said. | In a joint statement, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe said that the farm owner did not have a hunting permit. The professional hunter’s license has been suspended, the statement said. |
| Dr. Palmer has had past problems related to hunting. He faced probation after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to making a false statement to federal officials about where, exactly, a black bear was killed in Wisconsin. | Dr. Palmer has had past problems related to hunting. He faced probation after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to making a false statement to federal officials about where, exactly, a black bear was killed in Wisconsin. |