American Dentist Faces Strong Backlash After Hunting Zimbabwean Lion

Minnesota dentist Walter James Palmer is facing strong backlash for reportedly killing a Zimbabwean lion named Cecil.

Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba said Palmer will face charges of poaching, per the Associated Press, while "two Zimbabwean men will appear in court for allegedly helping lure the lion outside of" Hwange National Park where it lived.

According to the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, Palmer paid at least $50,000 to hunt the lion, which had been "fitted with a GPS collar and tracked by the Oxford University research program," as reported by Mary Bowerman for USA Today.

Palmer's practice in Bloomington has received a flood of negative Yelp reviews since the news broke Tuesday. According to Venture Beat's Fletcher Babb, Yelp has been "working to scrub the page of the negative reviews"; however, more than 3,000 remain.

Below are some of the more mild reviews (via Yelp.com):

"I am adding my own review even though I know it will be taken down. Because this man uses the profit he makes from his customer's hard-earned money to kill endangered species for his personal enjoyment. And that's not right. RIP Cecil the Lion."

"Please boycott this dental business. Walter J. Palmer murders endangered animals and is as bas as a poacher. Heartless and without morals. I hope he is punished for this."

"You are a vile and disgusting piece of garbage."

According to the conservation group, Palmer allegedly shot and injured Cecil with a bow and arrow after he and the two guides lured it out of the park by tying a dead animal to a vehicle. Palmer and Co. "then tracked the wounded animal for 40 hours" before shooting and killing him with a gun. The lion was later skinned and beheaded.

The group also said it does not know Palmer's whereabouts; however, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota, resident has released a statement expressing regret and saying he did not know Cecil was protected, as reported by CBS:

"

I relied on the expertise of my local professional guides to ensure a legal hunt. 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. I deeply regret that my pursuit of an activity I love and practice responsibly and legally resulted in the taking of this lion.

"

[h/t USA Today]