Safari Operators Association President of Zimbabwe Emanuel Fundira talks about the killing of Cecil the lion at the Hwange National Park allegedly by American James Walter Palmer. The hunter hunted: American dentist who paid $55,000 to kill Africa's most famous lion goes into hiding and says he 'did nothing wrong' as Zimbabwe police demand to speak to him Dr. Walter J Palmer, a dentist from Minnesota, killed the famed lion on or around July 6 Palmer admitted in a statement that he was responsible for the death of the lion but said he was unaware it was protected The smiling hunter has previously been fined for lying over the location of where he killed a black bear in northern Wisconsin Social media and Yelp accounts of Dr. Palmer's practice inundated with furious messages about the hunt Cecil the Lion, 13, was wounded by an arrow before he was tracked, shot dead, skinned and beheaded as a hunting trophy Chairman of Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force said anyone convicted of involvement in the illegal hunt could face up to 15 years in prison Police in Zimbabwe have said they urgently want to speak to the American dentist who killed one of Africa's most famous lions with a bow and arrow earlier this month. Emmanuel Fundira, the president of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, confirmed at a news conference on Tuesday that Dr. Walter Palmer is wanted for the death of Cecil the lion but that his whereabouts were unknown. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said 'we are looking for Palmer' who allegedly paid $55,000 (£35,000) for a big game permit and traveled from his home town of Minneapolis to Africa to kill a lion. Dr. Palmer's hunting colleagues, Zimbabwean Theo Bronkhorst and local landowner Honest Ndlovu are due to appear in court this week on poaching charges for the death of Cecil. 'We arrested two people and now we are looking for Palmer in connection with the same case,' said Charamba. The much loved big cat was wounded by an arrow after he was allegedly lured out of the national park by the hunter's bait. After spending two days tracking the injured beast, Cecil was eventually found and shot dead. The corpse was then skinned and the head hacked off as a trophy. However, speaking to the Star Tribune on Tuesday morning, Dr. Palmer said he was unaware of Cecil's fame and expressed regret but denied any illegality and laid any blame firmly at the door of his guides. 'I hired several professional guides, and they secured all proper permits,' the statement read. '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 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.' 'Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.' Professional Zimbabwean hunter Theo Bronkhorst and local landowner Honest Ndlovu are due to appear in court this week on poaching charges for allegedly killing Cecil. If convicted, the men face up to 15 years in prison. After Dr. Palmer was identified as the hunter who killed Cecil, the furore which erupted caused the dentist to go into hiding. His dental practice was closed when reporters went to knock on the door and a note on the father-of-two's home address referred all callers to a public relations firm in Minneapolis, according to the Star Tribune. Palmer is a member of the Safari Club International, which has approximately 55,000 members across the world. The dentist is a specialist bow and arrow hunter and on the SCI website has 43 registered kills. Dr. Palmer, a client of Bronkhorst, is thought to have hunted game in Zimbabwe before and once told theNew York Times he is 'capable of skewering a playing card from 100 yards with his compound bow.' His passion for hunting has also landed him in trouble before with the law. Mr Palmer pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the precise location of where he killed a black bear in 2008. Palmer was placed on a one year probation and fined $2939 after it was found that he was not licensed to kill the bear in that particular area. The passionate hunter describes himself on his dentist website as having 'a unique talent for creating dazzling smiles that complement each individuals tooth structure, skin tone, and facial attributes.' However, since his role in Cecil's death has been uncovered, animal lovers have laid siege to Dr Palmer's website, posting incredibly negative and abusive reviews. Some of the comments, which are being regularly deleted, threatened acts of violence against Dr Palmer, with suggestions that his practice should be attacked.

• published: 28 Jul 2015
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