Dentist who killed Cecil the lion shrugs off world’s outrage and returns to work

The dentist who sparked a global backlash when he killed Cecil the Lion has defended his actions as he said he expects to be back at work within days. Walter Palmer repeated his belief that he acted legally and that he did not know Cecil was one of Zimbabwe’s most treasured animals. "If I had known this lion had a name and was important to the country or a study obviously I wouldn’t have taken it,“ Mr Palmer said. "Nobody in our hunting party knew before or after the name of this lion.”

My staff and my patients support me and they want me back

Walter Palmer

The dentist said he shot the big cat, which was fitted with a GPS collar as part of research, using an arrow from his compound bow outside Hwange National Park’s borders. Mr Palmer said Cecil did not die immediately and was tracked down the next day before being killed with an another arrow – not a gun as conservationists have said. He declined to answer questions about how much he paid for the hunt or others he had taken part in. On Tuesday, Mr Palmer intends to go back to work at his suburban Minneapolis dental practice, which was temporarily closed as the controversy surrounding the killing raged.

I’m not Walter’s lawyer in this situation because Walter doesn’t need a lawyer in this situation

Mr Palmer’s adviser, Joe Friedberg

cecil the lion Americas