A US dentist who killed a lion in
Zimbabwe has apologised to his patients in Minnesota for the disruption
caused by the anger directed at him.
Walter Palmer's dental
practice in Minneapolis has been closed since he was named as the
tourist who shot Cecil, Zimbabwe's most famous lion.
Two Zimbabwean men have been charged over the death and local police say Mr Palmer may also face poaching charges.
He says he thought the hunt was legal and was unaware Cecil was protected.
'Divisive topic'
In
a letter sent to his "valued" patients on Tuesday, Mr Palmer said he
had been in the news "for reasons that have nothing to do with my
profession or the care I provide for you".
He described himself as
a "life-long hunter" but said he rarely discussed his passion with
patients "because it can be a divisive and emotionally charged topic".
Echoing
an earlier statement, he insisted that he thought the hunt was legal
and said he would assist authorities in Zimbabwe or the US in their
inquiries.
Cecil, who was a major tourist attraction at
Zimbabwe's largest game reserve in Hwange National Park, is believed to
have died on 1 July, but the carcass was not discovered until a few days
later. How the internet descended on Walter Palmer When is hunting not poaching?
A protest against Mr Palmer is planned to be held outside his dental practice on Wednesday
Experts say Cecil's six cubs are likely to be killed by the male lion who takes over the pride
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.
The lion was later skinned and beheaded, according to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force (ZCTF), a local charity.
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.
Mr
Palmer's dental practice has closed its website and social media
accounts since his identity was revealed after thousands of people
flooded them with angry comments.
A protest is due to be held outside the building later on Wednesday.
At the scene: Gary O'Donoghue, BBC News, Minneapolis
A man walks to the door of Walter Palmer's surgery and affixes a poster. It reads: "rot in hell".
A
woman remonstrates with him. "That's completely inappropriate," she
says, "he's still a human being". The man, unperturbed, refuses to take
down the notice and the argument continues.
There are about 50 people hanging around outside Mr Palmer's surgery - which is closed - today's fillings going unfilled.
One
protester brandishes a banner saying "let the hunter be the hunted" and
a woman opines that he should hang for what he's done.
The police look on, no doubt bemused at the news crews and satellite trucks that occupy this suburban street in Minneapolis.
Earlier
on Wednesday, professional hunter Theo Bronkhorst pleaded not guilty to
a charge of "failing to prevent an unlawful hunt" at a court in
Zimbabwe's capital Harare.
He was granted bail of $1,000 (£640)
and ordered to appear in court again on 5 August. His co-accused - farm
owner Honest Ndlovu - will appear at a later date.
The American tourist is believed to have paid about $50,000 (£32,000) to go on the hunt in Zimbabwe.
He
is well known in the American hunting community. In 2006, he was found
guilty of killing a black bear outside an authorised zone in the state
of Wisconsin and lying to authorities about it. He was fined $3,000
(£1,900).
Mr Palmer has visited Zimbabwe for hunting trips in the
past and one image posted online in 2010 shows him posing with a
leopard he killed.
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
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