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, AFP reports.
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 to shoot the lion on an expedition led by professional Zimbabwean hunter Theo Bronkhorst.