An American dentist has been identified as the hunter responsible, alongside two other men from Zimbabwe, who hunted down and killed Cecil the Lion, a famous animal from the Hwange National Park earlier this month.

The Telegraph outed Walter Palmer of Eden Prairie, Minnesota as the tourist and hunter who paid $55,000 to hunt down Cecil, a lion recognized by his black mane, who was being studied as a part of an Oxford University research program.

According to the report which identified them, during a nighttime hunt, the men tied another dead animal to their car to lure Cecil out of the Park, after which Palmer allegedly shot him with a crossbow. The group then tracked the injured Cecil for 40 hours, and when they found him, he was shot with a rifle. His carcass was discovered days later by trackers, skinned and beheaded, with his tracking collar still intact despite an attempt to destroy it.

Following the reveal of Palmer's identity, outraged commenters took to social media in droves to call out Palmer and demand justice for Cecil.

Some kept their outrage simple, saying they hoped Cecil's face would haunt Palmer for the rest of his life.


Others have found solace in the several negative reviews that have since been posted online about his dental practice:

Some have even called him out for reasons why he would feel like he needed to hunt and kill large animals:

Others have also found joy in Palmer quickly becoming the most despised man in the U.S., and his ability to replace the person who was holding the title more recently.

Palmer has also received death threats.

Even celebrities have jumped into the situation, with actress Debra Messing calling for Palmer to have his U.S. citizenship taken away, while UK singer Abi Phillips referred to him as a monster.

Authorities are reportedly trying to now track Palmer down.

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Cecil the Lion