R.I.P., Cecil #CecilTheLion—Celebrities React with Shock, Anger, Sadness

With the horrific news that Zimbabwe’s most famous and much-loved lion, Cecil, had been lured out of a national park to be killed for “sport,” social media exploded with shock and sadness. Even celebrities reached out to countless followers, to voice their disbelief:

Dear Hunters/murderers, Stop killing helpless creatures just for sport you psychos!! That is all. Sincerely, 99.999% of the population — Aaron Paul (@aaronpaul_8) July 29, 2015

John Salley

There are so many ways to be a fucking idiot in the modern world. https://t.co/hWrEcvjCe0 — Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) July 28, 2015

This asshole. Why would anyone want to kill a lion for fun? What is wrong with people? — Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) July 28, 2015

SHAME ON HIM! I want them to take his citizenship away. I’m ashamed and horrified by what he did. #CecilTheLion https://t.co/SGRwiOi0UK — Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) July 28, 2015

I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about this face. Let’s be clear about something. There is not one cool thing about murdering a creature like this. There is not ONE. COOL. THING about sport hunting. I say this as both an animal lover and as a woman who counts time on the shooting range as one of her favorite hobbies. I say this as a human being who is so fucking appalled that a guy thought paying an insane amount of money to shoot this majestic creature in the heart and kill him was a neat way to go on vacation. People. Wake the FUCK UP. Wake up. To the loser who felt like this act would bolster his manhood? Find another way to prove that you could win a big swinging dick competition (which we all already know from your embarrassing cowardice you never could in the first place). To anyone else out there who thinks this shit is cool, do a little research on the devastating effects of poaching, not only on incredible animals but on the people who live in the communities being destroyed. And again, I implore you, wake up. This is not our planet to pillage. These creatures are not here for our enjoyment. Coexistence isn’t some lofty ideal. It’s the only way we are going to survive. It’s the only way we are going to pull ourselves out of the trenches of our most repulsive tendencies. #Cecil #FuckPoaching #ScreamForCecil #BeOutraged A photo posted by Sophia Bush (@sophiabush) on Jul 29, 2015 at 7:34am PDT

This #WalterPalmer is a poor excuse of a human being! — Cara Delevingne (@Caradelevingne) July 28, 2015

I’d love to go hunting for killer dentist Dr Walter Palmer, so I can stuff & mount him for MY office wall. My column: http://t.co/Xy2OWE8sU2 — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 28, 2015

Oh Cecil. I’m sorry. http://t.co/pykwcPuDVL — Mayim Bialik (@missmayim) July 28, 2015

Animals are not trophies. Ever. #CecilTheLion — mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) July 29, 2015

Ohh the dentist “had no idea” the lion was famous. Because had he known, he would never have murdered it without asking for a selfie first. — olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) July 28, 2015

can’t believe this man counted it as valor to lure #CecilTheLion out of his protective home and kill him. #Cowardice pic.twitter.com/TAXOyB76BS — MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) July 29, 2015

I hope that #WalterPalmer loses his home, his practice & his money. He has already lost his soul… — Sharon Osbourne (@MrsSOsbourne) July 28, 2015

The entire team that killed the lion cecil should go to jail including the Minneapolis dentist — Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) July 29, 2015

#JusticeForCecilTheLion NOW. — Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) July 28, 2015

luring a lion out of a national park to shoot him, let him roam injured for 40 hrs, kill/behead him, & try to destroy his tracking collar << — Dad (@markhoppus) July 28, 2015

4 out of 5 dentists agree: kill a lion. — rob delaney (@robdelaney) July 28, 2015

I need to not read anymore about Cecil the lion, the whole thing just makes me hate humans even more than I already do. — Professor Green (@professorgreen) July 28, 2015

this man is disgusting . #WalterJamesPalmer #CecilTheLion http://t.co/zwxHslPzgg — Shannen Doherty (@DohertyShannen) July 28, 2015

Zimbabwe’s Most Famous Lion Found Decapitated Outside National Park http://t.co/hcYhdNehWI What a loss… Why would you anyone do this? — ian somerhalder (@iansomerhalder) July 28, 2015

Famous or not, why would any sane and decent person opt to kill such a beautiful animal? http://t.co/uOxZfC6Qlm? — Paul Wesley (@paulwesley) July 28, 2015

Goodbye, #CecilTheLion. Your roar will be remembered worldwide 💔 pic.twitter.com/NnqTLffBfD — AmyPoehlerSmartGirls (@smrtgrls) July 28, 2015

#WalterPalmer is Satan. I don’t know how anyone could go to this man for dental services after this. He is a killer. Beware! — Sharon Osbourne (@MrsSOsbourne) July 28, 2015

@margaretcho I will not. I do not have sex with murderous dentists. — Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) July 28, 2015

Happy the world is so passionate about #CecilTheLion Lets find a global voice for all the animals that HAVEN’T been given a cute name @peta — Dave Navarro (@DaveNavarro) July 29, 2015 I stand by u @jimmykimmel. making a donation to @WWF in hopes that C’s death won’t be forgotten. #RIPCecilTheLion </3 pic.twitter.com/xNA4KTeTB1 — Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) July 29, 2015

Join these celebrities in speaking out against “sport” hunting.