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Obama administration offers assistance in Cecil the lion investigation

By Danielle Haynes
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has offered its assistance to Zimbabwe in its investigation of the killing of Cecil the lion. Screenshot courtesy of Bryan Orford/YouTube
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has offered its assistance to Zimbabwe in its investigation of the killing of Cecil the lion. Screenshot courtesy of Bryan Orford/YouTube

WASHINGTON, July 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Wednesday offered its assistance in Zimbabwe's investigation into the death of a popular and protected lion, Cecil.

The lion was shot and killed by hunters in early July, and his decapitated and skinned body was later found by wildlife officials using a GPS tracker.

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Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer admitted he paid professional guides for a private safari to stalk the 13-year-old lion and kill him. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said the group of hunters allegedly lured Cecil out of the protected Hwange National Park using bait.

One professional hunter and a landowner have been arrested for their alleged involvement in Cecil's shooting.

Laury Parramore, a spokesman for the Fish and Wildlife Service, issued a statement offering the administration's help to Zimbabwean investigators.

"The Service is deeply concerned about the recent killing of Cecil the lion," Parramore said.

"We are currently gathering facts about the issue and will assist Zimbabwe officials in whatever manner requested," she said. "It is up to all of us -- not just the people of Africa -- to ensure that healthy, wild populations of animals continue to roam the savanna for generations to come."

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Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva, ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, called on the service to investigate whether any U.S. laws were broken when Cecil was killed.

"For those of us committed to ending poaching of iconic African species I strongly believe the U.S. Attorneys' Office and U.S. Fish [&] Wildlife Service should investigate whether U.S. laws were violated related to conspiracy, bribery of foreign officials, and the illegal hunting of a protected species or animal," he said.

"Species conservation, despite Republican eye-rolling and refusal to listen, is not part of some liberal political fringe," he said in a statement "It is a priority for Americans -- and Africans -- who hope to preserve the wildlife we still have left to preserve."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice said it was "aware of the situation" but has declined to say whether it has received a request for Palmer's extradition, Time reported.

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