Cecil the lion killer Walter Palmer breaks silence and returns to work

US dentist challenges stories about Zimbabwean hunt and says he was 'heartbroken' for staff when he had to close his clinic

The American dentist who killed Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe has expressed dismay at the furore that engulfed his family and staff and said he needed to return to work for his patients.

Walter Palmer, who has kept a low profile for more than a month after becoming the target of protests and threats, is to return to his suburban Minneapolis dental practice on Tuesday.