THE killing of Cecil the lion, one of the most popular attractions at Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, has forced his killer, Walter Palmer, a dentist to close his practice. The US resident paid $55,000 for the “pleasure” to kill the 13-year-old wildlife celebrity.

The social media outrage and backlash from around the world has been so strong that the dentist’s website has shut down and his office has also been closed.

Palmer, a trophied archer, paid a guide to lure Cecil out of the park so he could be hunted. He shot and wounded Cecil with a bow, but was only able to kill him 40 hours later. Cecil was beheaded and skinned – his carcass remained unused.

Signs posted outside the door of his dental office ‘WE ARE CECIL’, one read; “#CatLivesMatter,” read another. Nearby was a sign with a darker message for the dentist who said he killed the cat: “ROT IN HELL.”

Palmer has apologised for the disruption to services at his clinic, referencing his Zimbabwean hunt in a note to his patients. The note was obtained by local American news service KMSP.

“I understand and respect that not everyone shares the same views on hunting. I had no idea that the lion I took was a known, local favourite, was collared and part of a study until the end of the hunt. Again, I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion. That was never my intention.”