YouTubeWith fans still angry over Cecil the Lion's death, the man who hunted and killed the beloved animal is attempting to move on with his life. Well, sorta.
Walter Palmer's Minnesota dental office reopened yesterday weeks after Palmer was forced to close due to public backlash. However, Palmer himself was not at work on Monday.
"Today, River Bluff Dental employees and dentists are beginning to serve our loyal patients. Dr. Palmer is not on site. Our employees have no comment," the staff told local media outlets yesterday in a collective statement.
It's not clear if or when Palmer, 55, will return to the dental practice. The office has been closed for weeks with protesters leaving signs outside the building and Internet trolls leaving nasty comments on the office's Yelp page.
Last month, Palmer apologized for hunting Cecil, who was 13 and the most famous lion in Zimbabwe, adding that he had hired professional guides who secured hunting permits and that he believed the hunt was legal. "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," he said in a statement. "I relied on the expertise of my local professional guide to ensure a legal hunt."
Needless to say, thousands are still outraged by Palmer's actions. "We're all just wondering where is he," Brenda Spencer told CBS Minnesota. "Why isn't somebody doing something? Why isn't he being prosecuted?"