Life Beyond Cecil The Lion In Zimbabwe

Palmer, a veteran bow hunter, shot and killed a huge black bear during a September 2006 trek through the wilds of northern Wisconsin.

The grinning Palmer had a permit to kill one black bear in one Wisconsin county, but the animal he shot was reportedly 40 miles beyond the county line.

“He was lying to us”.

US Attorney John Vaudreuil told ABC: “As soon as the bear was killed, Palmer and the three guys he was with – guides – they agreed they would lie about it”. Palmer later caused the bear carcass to be transported from Wisconsin to Minnesota. “He was offering to pay, it turns out, about $20,000 to keep the others who were in the hunt, to have them lie, so that’s a fairly aggressive cover-up”.

Palmer originally faced up a maximum penalty of five years in prison, but ended up pleading guilty to false statement charges and was sentenced to one year probation and paid a ,938 fine.

The Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority imposed the ban on August 1 in areas surrounding Hwange National Park in the wake of worldwide outcry over the illegal killing of the iconic Cecil who was a major tourist attraction.

The Zimbabwean authorities have arrested Bronkhorst and Honest Trymore Ndlovu, owner of the farmland where Cecil was killed.

Zimbabwe has lifted a ban on big game hunting which lasted for barely ten days after the killing of Cecil the lion by an American dentist last month.

The killing of Cecil did not go down well with animal rights activists world-wide, with thousands signing a petition entitled ‘Demand Justice for Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe’. Poor Cecil, he was shot with a bow and arrow.

According to ABC, who obtained and released the photos, Palmer was well aware that he was hunting in a protected area. His home in Florida has been vandalized.

His latest trophy created a backlash that forced Palmer into hiding in the U.S. and have Zimbabweans pushing for prosecution.

Some media outlets also published photos showing his hunting lodge.

The photos were released to ABC News by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources following a Freedom of Information request.