The Minnesota dentist who killed “Cecil the Lion” in Zimbabwe wrote a letter of apology to his patients Tuesday as a media firestorm continued to grow and his online business and social profiles were assailed with threats and hate messages.

Walter James Palmer, who paid about $50,000 to hunt the lion, used bait to lure the 13-year-old black-maned big cat out of Hwange National Park in early July so he could shoot it with a bow and arrow, authorities said.

In the letter to his patients at River Bluff Dental in Bloomington, Palmer again said he did not know Cecil was a well-known lion who had been collared for a study until he had finished the hunt. He made the same claim in a statement to the media eariler Tuesday.

“To my valued patients: As you may have already heard, I have been in the news over the last few days for reasons that have nothing to do with my profession or the care I provide for you,” he said in the message, obtained by local Fox affiliate KMSP.

“I don’t often talk about hunting with my patients because it can be a divisive and emotionally charged topic. I understand and respect that not everyone shares the same views on hunting,” he wrote.

The letter repeats many lines from his Tuesday statement to the press, which was printed in The Star Tribune.

Palmer said he hired local professional guides, acquired all the necessary permits for a legal big-game hunting trip and promised to assist Zimbabwean or American authorities with any questions, should he be asked.

“The media interest in this matter — along with a substantial number of comments and calls from people who are angered by this situation and by the practice of hunting in general — has disrupted our business and our ability to see our patients,” Palmer said. “For that disruption, I apologize profoundly for this inconvenience and promise you that we will do our best to resume normal operations as soon as possible.”

River Bluff Dental’s official website and Facebook page have been taken down. The business’ phone line has also been disconnected.

Thousands of outraged citizens have flooded the office’s Yelp page with angry messages shaming Palmer for killing Cecil.




http://news.yahoo.com/letter-to-patients--dentist-behind-cecil-the-lion-s-death-apologizes-165511095.html

Ok

Much ado abt irrelevance......I ve bn seeing the news scroll on TV and all these while, I thought Cecil was human

$50k to just shoot and kill a lion ... What's wrong with this people self

Though it is painful but I don't see the wrong in the guy's action if he did what he claimed he did. He took a permit for the hunt and the area was not mentioned as a no hunting zone.
I think the Zimbabwean authority were just interested in the money ($50000) paid for the hunt until someone published that the Lion is Cecil which the country loved so much because of the black hair.
No restrictions to any animal in a hunting zone.

osomegbe:
Though it is painful but I don't see the wrong in the guy's action if he did what he claimed he did. He took a permit for the hunt and the area was not mentioned as a no hunting zone.
I think the Zimbabwean authority were just interested in the money ($50000) paid for the hunt until someone published that the Lion is Cecil which the country loved so much because of the black hair.
No restrictions to any animal in a hunting zone.

The Lion was part of a National park attraction and was lured with bait out of the Park before the killing. in my opinion the Dentist knew exactly what he was doing, he has had issues with the court for something similar before...
read more about him.

Is the Lion a god or is it the only Lion in the park, or didn't it mate to produce its kind throughout its 13 years of living in the park?

They should leave the man joorr.

He should even b given a chieftaincy title
Because killing a lion is not a joke

Ogbu agu 1 of Zimbabwe.

He was having fun....
Zimbabwe should sue this guy big!!!
That's wicked of him... a dentist! Does he need to replace his tooth with a lion's.
You cant do this in the US and go free

aguizm:
Is the Lion a god or is it the only Lion in the park, or didn't it mate to produce its kind throughout its 13 years of living in the park?

They should leave the man joorr.

He should even b given a chieftaincy title
Because killing a lion is not a joke

Ogbu agu 1 of Zimbabwe.

[s][/s]

aguizm:
Is the Lion a god or is it the only Lion in the park, or didn't it mate to produce its kind throughout its 13 years of living in the park?

They should leave the man joorr.

He should even b given a chieftaincy title
Because killing a lion is not a joke

Ogbu agu 1 of Zimbabwe.

Bro, if you dont have anything you treasure, just mudafking shatup! i shd call u a fool
For u to be on Pet section, you shd have a pet. Imagine someone coming to kill them for fun.

philfrey08:

Bro, if you dont have anything you treasure, just mudafking shatup! i shd call u a fool
For u to be on Pet section, you shd have a pet. Imagine someone coming to kill them for fun.

You must be a bigger fool to qoute me and talk trash. u should hide ur head in shame for comparing a wild beast that lives in a game reserve and a pet that stays with one at home. Next time you don't have anything meaningful to reply me just shut ur smelling fucking mouth up.

Bloody scumbag.

I still maintain my earlier comment.

Ewu Sudan.