Surprising reactions from around the world to the killing of Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe

Surprising reactions from around the world to the killing of Cecil the Lion in Zimbabwe
American dentist gets shamed — Everyone is sickened by the killing of a beautiful lion in Zimbabwe. But is the hate campaign against the misguided dentist hunter a bit too much?

When American dentist Walter Palmer was discovered to have killed beloved Zimbabwean lion Cecil for sport earlier this month, the world (via social media) went ballistic.

Palmer, a seasoned hunter, reportedly paid $55,000 to carry out the poach – whereby the American and two local guides lured (baited) Cecil out of a protected park and into a zone where they could legally shoot him.

Those on the animal rights side of things were obviously appalled but there was an outpouring of feeling from all corners of the web and a torrent of hate for the dentist who has been compared to the likes of Hannibal Lecter and the subject of stories like, ‘The most evil dentists of all time.’

In one of the more surreal public conversations about the matter, social media shame expert Jon Ronson, political news commentator Chris Hayes and animal rights activist Mia Farrow, all agreed diplomatically over twitter that the act was disgusting but the public reaction is ‘disconcerting’.

Here is a round-up of some of the Cecil-related rhetoric to come out of cyberspace.

Screen shot 2015-07-30 at 10.48.38Screen shot 2015-07-30 at 10.49.11Screen shot 2015-07-30 at 10.52.35Screen shot 2015-07-30 at 10.54.13Screen shot 2015-07-30 at 11.17.47Screen shot 2015-07-30 at 11.17.58Screen shot 2015-07-30 at 11.20.18

Latest on Huck

Bobby Gillespie: “This country is poisoned by class”
Culture

Bobby Gillespie: “This country is poisoned by class”

Primal Scream’s legendary lead singer writes about the band’s latest album ‘Come Ahead’ and the themes of class, conflict and compassion that run throughout it.

Written by: Bobby Gillespie

Vibrant photos of New York’s Downtown performance scene
Photography

Vibrant photos of New York’s Downtown performance scene

‘Balloons and Feathers’ is an eclectic collection of images documenting the scene for over two decades.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Picking through the rubble: Glimpses of hope in the US election results
Activism

Picking through the rubble: Glimpses of hope in the US election results

Clambering through the wreckage of the Harris campaign, delving deeper into the election results and building on the networks that already exist, all hope is not gone writes Ben Smoke.

Written by: Ben Smoke

US Election night 2024 in Texas
Photography

US Election night 2024 in Texas

Photographer Tom “TBow” Bowden travelled to Republican and Democratic watch parties around Houston, capturing their contrasting energies as results began to flow in.

Written by: Isaac Muk

In photos: “Real life is not black and white” – Polaroid x Magnum Open Call winners
Photography

In photos: “Real life is not black and white” – Polaroid x Magnum Open Call winners

See pictures from the competition organised by two titans of contemporary photography, which called upon artists to reject the digitalisation and over-perfectionism of our modern world, technology and image-making.

Written by: Huck

In photos: Rednecks with Paychecks
Photography

In photos: Rednecks with Paychecks

‘American Diesel’ is a new photo series that looks at the people, places and culture behind the stereotypes of rural America.

Written by: Ben Smoke

Sign up to our newsletter

Issue 81: The more than a game issue

Buy it now