Cecil the lion was killed by American dentist in Zimbabwe, causing outrage worldwide and online petition for justice. (Photo : screenshot courtesy of YouTube/Bryan Orford)
Minnesota-based dentist Walter Palmer, who is identified as the hunter who killed Cecil the lion, said he was rueful for the hunting trip blunder that has aroused the ire of people around the world.
The Facebook page for Palmer's dental practice, the River Bluff Dental, was already taken down, while its Yelp Page was continuously flooded with hateful reviews, BuzzFeed reported.
There was also an online petition directed at Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe demanding justice for the lion. The petition gathered more than 600,000 signatures, and also aimed to ask Zimbabwe to stop issuing hunting permits to kill endangered animals.
In Zimbabwe, the hunting of lions is considered a lawful practice, just like in some countries in the southern region of Africa. However, bow hunting is deemed illegal when conducted within government-protected safaris and national parks.
Cecil the lion was a crowd darling among both local and foreign tourists alike, and was freely roaming the country's Hwange National Park when it was lured out of the protected boundaries and hunted down with bow and arrow, according to a report by the Telegraph.
The lion was decapitated and flayed by the hunting crew when it was found several hours later, after it was shot during the night hunting trip.
"Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion," Palmer said in a statement. He admitted that he has no knowledge that the lion was one of the top tourism drawers in the area and was collared for wildlife conservation research.
The father of two, and an enthusiast of the sport of hunting, also said that he placed his confidence on the local professional guides to make sure that the hunt was fully-warranted under the local law. He paid more than $50,000 for the whole hunting experience.
Mr. Palmer said that he has yet to be contacted by either government from the U.S. and Zimbabwe, but has pledged his full cooperation.
Two men, who were also allegedly involved in the hunt, had been already charged for killing the lion according to Zimbabwe National Parks. Professional hunter Theo Bronchorst, and Honest Trymore Ndlovu, owner of a land just outside the national park boundaries, posted bail on July 29 and both were released.
