text: As the outrage continued to grow over the hunting death of one of Africa's most iconic lions, two Zimbabwean men who allegedly received $50,000 from the American tourist who killed Cecil the lion arrived in court to face poaching charges related to the illegal hunt, Reuters reported. 
   
   Professional hunter Theo Bronchorst and land owner Honest Trymore Ndlovu allegedly tied a dead animal to a vehicle to lure the beloved lion outside a national park so that American Walter James Palmer could kill him, according to conservationists in Zimbabwe. 
   
   The two Zimbabwean men appeared at the Hwange magistrate’s court on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. They were charged with poaching offenses and for not having the required hunting permit, according to the BBC, which reported that the men were granted bail of $1,000 each and ordered to appear in court again next week. 
   
   1 of 12 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × The reaction to Cecil the lion’s killing by an American tourist View Photos Minnesota dentist Walter James Palmer is accused of killing Zimbabwe’s Cecil the lion. Caption Minnesota dentist Walter James Palmer is accused of killing Zimbabwe’s Cecil the lion. A photo of Walter James Palmer, the American dentist accused of killing Cecil the lion. Rex Features via AP Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. 
   
   Palmer shot Cecil with a bow and arrow, injuring it, according to an account detailed by non-governmental group, Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. After tracking the 13-year-old lion for about 40 hours, Palmer is alleged to have killed the animal with a gun. Cecil was then beheaded and skinned. 
   
   [The death of Cecil the lion and the big business of big game trophy hunting] 
   
   Zimbabwean authorities said Palmer, a dentist from Minnesota, could face charges as well; he has been accused by wildlife officials of killing Cecil without a permit, Reuters reported. 
   
   “We'll see how it plays out,” Caroline Washaya-Moyo, a spokeswoman for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, told The Post on Tuesday. She added that professional hunters and land owners typically first face charges in such cases. 
   
   Palmer, who has reportedly left Zimbabwe, said Tuesday that "I deeply regret" having killed "a known, local favorite" and that he may have been misled by his hunting guides. 
   
   “I hired several professional guides, and they secured all proper permits,” read a statement from Palmer to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted.” 
   
   He added: “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. I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion." 
   
   [OPINION: What justice for Cecil the Lion would actually look like] 
   
   Palmer said he hasn't been contacted by American or Zimbabwean officials "but will assist them in any inquires they may have." 
   
   
   
   A combination photo shows Theo Bronkhorst, left, and Honest Trymore Ndlovu before their court appearance in Zimbabwe. (Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters) 
   
   Cecil, thought to have been killed July 1, was one of Africa's most famous lions and lived in the massive Hwange National Park. 
   
   “It is alleged that the hunter connived with the Antoinette land owner, Mr. Honest Trymore Ndlovu to kill the lion,” read a joint statement from the parks service and the Safari Operators Association. “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.” 
   
   The lion’s death on private land outside the park's boundary was condemned by the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters and Guides Association and set off a wave of international outrage that centered on Palmer after he was named in connection to the hunt. 
   
   Angry commenters have inundated the Yelp and Google Review pages for Palmer's dental practice, and he has been vilified across social media, as #CecilTheLion became a top worldwide trending topic on Twitter. 
   
   Local police are now monitoring Palmer's office, the Associated Press reported. Protesters have placed a small pile of stuffed animal toys at the dental practice's front door. 
   
   [A vengeful Internet trashed the Yelp page of the Minnesota dentist who shot Cecil the lion] 
   
   Lets have some social media shaming for an American dentist Walter Palmer paid $55,000 to SHOOT & KILL African lion #CecilTheLion. @peta — Rhonda Sherwood, CFP (@Rhonda_Sherwood) July 28, 2015 
   
   the outrage over #CecilTheLion is so, so justified. how people hurt or kill animals with such thoughtlessness or even joy is mind-boggling. — frances koncan (@franceskoncan) July 28, 2015 
   
   I’d love to go hunting for killer dentist Dr Walter Palmer, so I can stuff & mount him for MY office wall. My column: http://t.co/Xy2OWE8sU2 — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 28, 2015 
   
   The voice-mail inbox at Palmer’s dental practice in Minnesota was full Tuesday, and an e-mail from The Post to the practice was not answered. 
   
   Citing court records, Palmer pleaded guilty in 2008 to making a false statement to U.S. wildlife officials regarding the location of a black bear killing in Wisconsin during a guided hunt, the New York Times reported. 
   
   According to the AP: 
   
   Palmer had a permit to hunt but shot the animal outside the authorized zone in 2006, then tried to pass it off as being killed elsewhere, according to court documents. He was given one year probation and fined nearly $3,000. 
   
   The Times chronicled Palmer going on a big game hunt in 2009, a year after he began probation. 
   
   As the 2009 season approached, Walter J. Palmer, a dentist in his late 40s from Eden Prairie, Minn., paid $45,000 for a tag at an auction to finance preservation of the elk habitat. Palmer, said to be capable of skewering a playing card from 100 yards with his compound bow, has cultivated a purist’s reputation for his disinclination to carry firearms as backup. Learning to shoot at age 5, he has slain all but one of the animals recognized by Pope and Young. “I don’t have a golf game,” Palmer said. 
   
   [Rich American tourists kill hundreds of lions each year, and it’s all legal] 
   
   According to park and safari officials in Zimbabwe, authorities were trying to interview another professional hunter — Zane Bronkhorst — who may have been involved in Cecil the lion's death. 
   
   The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, a nongovernmental organization, alleged that the hunters purposefully lured Cecil out of the park. 
   
   "They went hunting at night with a spotlight and they spotted Cecil," the group said in a statement. "They tied a dead animal to their vehicle to lure Cecil out of the park and they scented an area about half a kilometre from the park. Mr Palmer shot Cecil with a bow and arrow but this shot didn't kill him. 
   
   "They tracked him down and found him 40 hours later when they shot him with a gun. They found that he was fitted with a GPS collar because he was being studied by the Hwange Lion Research, funded by Oxford University so they tried to destroy the collar but failed because it was found." 
   
   Theo Bronkhorst owns Bushman Safaris, a company offering "top quality hunts with maximum results" and specializing in "leopards with dogs and other big game." 
   
   The company's Facebook page includes statements proclaiming that hunters help conservation efforts through the fees they pay to hunt big game: 
   
   Thanks to all who like our page.Understanding how we as hunters do far more for conservation of our wildlife than anti... Posted by Bushman Safaris Zimbabwe on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 
   
   This post, originally published July 28, has been updated. 
   
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   Ricky Gervais fires back after getting slaughtered over hunting remarks ||||| Who shot Cecil? First it was thought that a mystery Spaniard had the blood of one of Africa’s most famous lions on his hands. Then came a fresh twist. The Cecil slayer, Zimbabwean conservations said on Tuesday, was in fact a dentist from Minnesota. 
   
   American Walter Palmer was said to be “quite upset” as the hunter became hunted. Zimbabwean police warned that he faced poaching charges, while there was a furious backlash on social media, with Facebook users variously calling for him to be publicly shamed, have his teeth pulled out without anaesthetic or be hunted and killed. 
   
   Killer of Cecil the lion was dentist from Minnesota, claim Zimbabwe officials Read more 
   
   Cecil the lion, known for his black mane, was about 13 years old and a famous attraction for wildlife tourists in Zimbabwe until, earlier this month, he was tempted outside a national park using bait and shot with a bow and arrow. He is believed to have taken 40 hours to die. 
   
   Walter Palmer (left) and one of his previous trophy kills Photograph: facebook 
   
   In a statement to the Guardian, Palmer confirmed he had been in Zimbabwe in early July on a bow hunting trip. “I hired several professionals and they secured all proper permits,” said Palmer. “To my knowledge, everything about this trip was legal and properly handled and conducted. 
   
   “I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favourite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt,” he said. “I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt.” 
   
   Palmer, who is from Eden Prairie, just outside of Minneapolis, said he had not been contacted by authorities – either in Zimbabwe or the US – about the situation, but was willing to answer any questions they might have for him. 
   
   
   
   “I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity that I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion,” he said. 
   
   The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force charity had initially suggested the culprit had been from Spain but on Tuesday named him as Palmer. This was later confirmed by police. 
   
   The charity’s chairman, Johnny Rodrigues, alleged that Palmer and professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst had gone hunting at night and tied a dead animal to their vehicle to lure Cecil out of Hwange national park. 
   
   “Palmer shot Cecil with a bow and arrow but this shot didn’t kill him,” he said. “They tracked him down and found him 40 hours later when they shot him with a gun. The hunters then found that the dead lion was wearing a tracking collar, which they unsuccessfully tried to hide.” 
   
   Facebook Twitter Pinterest Conservationists call for better protection for wild animals 
   
   Cecil was wearing a GPS collar as part of a research project that Oxford University has been running since 1999, making it possible to trace his last movements. 
   
   Rodrigues added: “Cecil was skinned and beheaded … Walter Palmer apparently paid $50,000 for the kill and we assume Theo Bronkhorst received this money.” 
   
   Initially his organisation had said the whereabouts of Cecil’s head was unknown, sparking concerns that it would be sent abroad as a trophy. But on Tuesday Rodrigues said the head of the lion had been located in Zimbabwe and impounded to be used as evidence in the investigation. 
   
   
   
   “The saddest part of all is that now that Cecil is dead, the next lion in the hierarchy, Jericho, will most likely kill all Cecil’s cubs so that he can insert his own bloodline into the females.” 
   
   Palmer – married with two children and thought to be in his 50s – became a target as the Facebook page of his dental clinic was flooded with angry comments and threats. An online petition demanding justice for Cecil had gathered more than 12,000 signatures. An Associated Press reporter approached his clinic in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington but was told he was not seeing patients on Tuesday. 
   
   A spokesman for Palmer said the hunter was “obviously quite upset over everything”, adding: “As far as I understand, Walter believes that he might have shot the lion that has been referred to as Cecil. 
   
   Palmer’s love of hunting is well documented online. In 2009, he was interviewed by the New York Times about his slaying of an elk that was touted as a kill for the archery record books. 
   
   
   
   Noting that Palmer had learned to shoot at age five and was “capable of skewering a playing card from 100 yards with his compound bow,” the article said he had paid $45,000 at auction to take part in the hunt, with the proceeds being used to help fund the elk habitat. 
   
   
   
   As the hunting season began, Palmer was on probation for lying to authorities over the exact location where he had killed a black bear in northern Wisconsin in 2006. 
   
   A 2008 Flickr photo album by Trophy Hunt America and Porcupine Creek Outfitters, a company that leads hunting expeditions, shows Palmer posing next to a variety of slain animals, including a wood bison and a lion. In other online photos Palmer sits next to a slain rhino – the caption stating that the photo was taken in South Africa – or holds up a 175-pound leopard in Zimbabwe. 
   
   Facebook Twitter Pinterest Patrick Barkham visits a lion-breeding farm in North Eastern Free State, South Africa, to investigate the ‘canned hunting’ industr. 
   
   Emmanuel Fundira, president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, called for Palmer to be prosecuted as a criminal. “Cecil was a collared lion, a protected species,” he said. 
   
   
   
   “The rules are clear in Zimbabwe that no protected lions should be hunted. The American members of our association are encouraged to conduct themselves in a way that is beyond reproach. We are using hunting as a conservation tool, but when the tool is abused in this way, it destroys the whole principle.” 
   
   He added: “The culprits should be brought to book and punished at the highest level. This is really reckless.” 
   
   Cecil’s death is yet another blow to Zimbabwe’s economy, which is teetering under president Robert Mugabe. Fundira said: “We are extremely saddened. Cecil was a drawcard, well-known in the industry. Travellers came from all over the world for the experience and it’s been taken away. 
   
   “If you imagine the amount being talked about as changing hands, $50,000, the country has been short-changed. An iconic animal like that is worth much more in the long term. It’s a huge loss and people are grieving.” 
   
   The Zimbabwean Parks & Wildlife Authority said Bronkhorst and the local landowner, Honest Ndlovu, will appear in court in Victoria Falls on Wednesday to face poaching charges. 
   
   
   
   “Both the professional hunter and land owner had no permit or quota to justify the offtake of the lion and therefore are liable for the illegal hunt,” it added. 
   
   If convicted, the men face up to 15 years in prison. Palmer also faces poaching charges, according to police spokeswoman Charity Charamba. “We arrested two people and now we are looking for Palmer in connection with the same case,” she said. 
   
   A Texan hunter shot an elderly black rhino in Namibia in May after buying a government-issued licence for $350,000 (£224,000). ||||| Image copyright Reuters Image caption Hunter Theo Bronkhorst (left) and landowner Honest Ndlovu are facing poaching charges 
   
   A hunter accused of helping a US tourist kill Zimbabwe's most famous lion has been released on bail. 
   
   Theo Bronkhorst pleaded not guilty to a charge of "failing to prevent an unlawful hunt". He was granted bail of $1,000 (£638) and ordered to appear in court again on 5 August. 
   
   His co-accused - farm owner Honest Ndlovu - will appear at a later date. 
   
   Walter Palmer, the US dentist who shot the animal known as Cecil, has left Zimbabwe but could also face charges. 
   
   Mr Palmer said he paid for the hunt, but was not aware of the lion's identity. 
   
   He said he regretted shooting the animal, and believed he was on a legal hunt. He had relied on professional guides to find a lion and obtain the necessary permits, he added. 
   
   Mr Bronkhorst and Mr Ndlovu could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty. 
   
   Image copyright Paula French/Facebook Image caption Walter Palmer, who killed Cecil, said he had no idea the lion was a "local favourite" 
   
   Cecil is believed to have died on 1 July, but the carcass was not discovered until a few days later. 
   
   Mr Palmer is said to have shot and injured the animal with a bow and arrow. The group did not find the wounded lion until 40 hours later, when he was shot dead with a gun. 
   
   'An activity I love' 
   
   Separately, court records have shown that Mr Palmer has a felony record in the US after killing a black bear in the state of Wisconsin in 2006. 
   
   The dentist was given a one-year probation and fined $3,000, having shot the creature outside an authorised zone and then tried to pass it off as having been killed elsewhere. 
   
   The American tourist is believed to have paid about $50,000 to go on the hunt in Zimbabwe. 
   
   More than 400,000 people have signed an online "Justice for Cecil" petition, calling on Zimbabwe's government to stop issuing hunting permits for endangered animals. 
   
   How the internet descended on Walter Palmer 
   
   Image copyright Twitter Image caption Social media commentators condemned Mr Palmer 
   
   Mr Palmer insists that he believed his guides had secured "all proper permits" for the hunt. 
   
   "I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt," he said in a statement on Tuesday. 
   
   "I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion." 
   
   He said he had not been contacted by authorities in Zimbabwe or the US but would "assist them in any inquiries they may have". 
   
   Image copyright Reuters Image caption Stuffed toys were left by protesters outside Mr Palmer's workplace 
   
   The dentist is believed to be back in the US, although his exact whereabouts are unknown. 
   
   His dental practice in Bloomington, Minnesota has been temporarily closed and a note placed on the door referring visitors to a public relations firm. A protest is due to be held outside the building later. 
   
   The firm's social media accounts have also been disabled, after they were flooded with messages from angry members of the public. 
   
   Cecil the lion 
   
   Image copyright AP 
   
   A major tourist attraction in Hwange National Park - Zimbabwe's largest game reserve 
   
   The 13-year-old animal was renowned for being friendly towards visitors 
   
   Recognisable because of his large size and distinctive black mane 
   
   Led two prides containing six lionesses and 12 cubs along with another lion, Jericho 
   
   Was being monitored as part of an Oxford University study into lion conservation 
   
   When is hunting not poaching? 
   
   Night-time pursuit 
   
   Cecil the lion was skinned and beheaded, according to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF), a local charity. 
   
   The ZCTF said the hunters had used bait to lure him outside Hwange National Park during a night-time pursuit. 
   
   Lions in Africa 35,000 Max estimated lion population 12,000 Max lion population in southern Africa 665 Approx number of 'trophy' lions killed for export from Africa per year 
   
   49 Lion 'trophies' exported from Zimbabwe in 2013 
   
   0.29% Contribution to GDP of Zimbabwe from trophy hunting 
   
   17% Of Zimbabwe's land given to trophy hunting AFP 
   
   The animal had a GPS collar fitted for a research project by UK-based Oxford University that allowed authorities to track its movements. The hunters had tried to destroy it but failed, according to the ZCTF. 
   
   On Monday, the head of the ZCTF told the BBC that Cecil "never bothered anybody" and was "one of the most beautiful animals to look at".
target: – It's the dawn of a new, uncomfortable day for Dr. Walter Palmer, the Minnesota dentist who achieved infamy yesterday when it was revealed he was the hunter who felled the beloved lion Cecil in Zimbabwe. The New York Times and Washington Post today have more on how Palmer and his guides lured the 13-year-old lion out of his sanctuary in Hwange National Park: According to the chair of the non-governmental Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, Palmer's party sighted the lion at night using a spotlight, and affixed a dead animal to their car to lead Cecil from the reserve into unprotected territory. It claims the men scented an area about three-tenths of a mile from the park. Cecil was first injured by a shot from Palmer's crossbow, then killed nearly two days later by Palmer, via gun. Chair Johnny Rodrigues alleges that "the hunters then found that the dead lion was wearing a [GPS] tracking collar, which they unsuccessfully tried to hide." Cecil was skinned and beheaded, and his body "left to rot in the sun," as the Times puts it. Rodrigues yesterday said the head has been tracked down and impounded as evidence, reports the Guardian. The BBC adds that it's thought Cecil was killed July 1, though his corpse wasn't found until days later. Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority and the Safari Operators Association say "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." Professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst and landowner Honest Ndlovu accompanied Palmer and are making that court appearance today; the poaching charges carry up to 15 years. A parks and wildlife rep told the Post professional hunters and landowners are usually the first to be charged in these instances. Palmer is reportedly being sought in connection with the case. Here's what Palmer has to say.