WHY? What motivates someone to kill endangered species?
Walter Palmer, the man who allegedly shot and killed Zimbabwe's world-famous lion, is upset over the backlash:
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 favorite, 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.
Dr. Palmer may want to have his moral compass adjusted. Even with a permit and even if he didn't know the lion had been baited out of a protected sanctuary and on to private property, why in the world do you get thrills killing endangered species? Scientists predict African lions could be
extinct by 2050. And thanks to Dr. Palmer's need to hunt and kill a mature male lion, park officials believe Cecil's
24 cubs will also be killed in the wild because he is not there to protect them.
