The tourist who paid thousands of dollars to kill a protected Zimbabwean lion has been identified as an American dentist from Minnesota, who hunted him down at night and shot him with a crossbow.
Investigators say that Walter James Palmer, 55, was led by searchlight to kill Cecil the lion by a professional hunter, Theo Bronkhorst. The pair tied a dead animal to their car as bait, and then maimed Cecil with the crossbow as he approached.
The wounded lion was allegedly found 40 hours later and shot dead with a gun. He was then believed to have been skinned and the head was removed, which is commonly done so the head can be taken as a trophy.
Last night Mr Palmer was reported as