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| Big game hunter Dr Walter Palmer (left), is a dentist from Minneapolis, Minnesota |
THE White House is to review a public petition to extradite Walter Palmer, the man who killed Cecil the lion, paving the way for the American dentist to be sent back to Africa to face charges.
The petition has exceeded 100,000 signatures and US government officials said it was now up to the justice department to respond to the extradition order.
Cecil's death is currently being investigated by Zimbabwean authorities and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
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| American dentist Dr Walter Palmer who killed Cecil the lion during a hunting trip in Zimbabwe |
Investigators say they have so far been unable to reach Mr Palmer, who earlier released a statement apologising for killing the animal during a hunting trip.
The FWS said it was "deeply concerned" about the "tragic" death of Cecil.
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| Mr Palmer has killed dozens of animals |
In a statement released on Thursday, the organisation said: "We are currently gathering facts about the issue and will assist Zimbabwe officials in whatever manner requested.
"At this point in time, however, multiple efforts to contact Dr Walter Palmer have been unsuccessful.
"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 savannah for generations to come."
Elsewhere, the UN General Assembly this evening unanimously adopted its first-ever resolution aimed at combatting the trafficking in wildlife, amid growing outrage at the killing of a beloved protected lion.
The resolution, approved by consensus by the 193-member world body, is not legally binding.
But its support reflects growing global opposition to escalating poaching and trafficking, especially in elephant and rhinoceros horns.
Protesters gathered outside Palmer's dental practice on Wednesday, calling for him to be extradited to Zimbabwe to face charges of taking part in an illegal hunt.
A Zimbabwean hunter has been charged in the African country with failing to prevent the unlawful killing of the lion.
Mr Palmer has not been charged in Zimbabwe or the United States.
The storm over the apparently illegal killing prompted an international hunting group, of which Mr Palmer is a member, to suspend him.
Safari Club International, which promotes big-game hunting worldwide, issued a statement Wednesday saying memberships for Walter Palmer and his guide in Zimbabwe, Theo Bronkhorst, will be on hiatus until investigations are complete.
The Safari Club says "those who intentionally take wildlife illegally should be prosecuted and punished to the maximum extent allowed by law."
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