Zimbabwe on Monday abandoned its bid to press charges against a US dentist who killed Cecil the lion, saying his papers "were in order" and that he did not know he was committing any offence.
The black-maned lion was shot dead with a powerful bow and arrow in July by US trophy hunter Walter Palmer in a hunt that provoked worldwide outrage.
Palmer paid $55,000 (50,000 Euros) to shoot the lion on an expedition led by professional Zimbabwean hunter Theo Bronkhorst.
The hunt provoked a storm of criticism after it emerged that Cecil was a well-known attraction among visitors to the Hwange National Park and was wearing a tracking collar as part of an Oxford University research project.
But a Zimbabwean government minister on Monday said they would not pursue any legal proceedings against Palmer.
Environment Minister Oppah Muchinguri told reporters Palmer's "papers were in order" when he came to Zimbabwe.
PHOTO: Cecil the lion was a major tourist attraction at Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park.
CREDIT: AFP Photo.
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