Jimmy Kimmel got emotional on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Tuesday.

In his opening monologue, the ABC host discussed the recent murder of 13-year-old Cecil the Lion, calling him a "beautiful animal." Kimmel also questioned Minnesota dentist Walt Palmer's decision to illegally hunt wildlife.

For those unfamiliar with Cecil the Lion, the 47-year-old comedian explained, "He'd been wearing a GPS collar as part as an Oxford University research project. They'd been tracking him for years, and during that time Cecil became like a local favorite amongst the guides. He was always around. People loved to see him on safaris until earlier this month when a tourist on a hunting trip shot him for sport. And, of course, everyone is angry and upset. Last night I read this story—I happened upon this story—and the news report said they suspected it was a Spaniard who did it, who shot the animal. I have to admit, when I saw it, I was so relieved it wasn't an American. I really was. I was like, 'This is terrible, but thank God it wasn't one of us for once.' And then I went online this morning and it turns out it was an American. It was one of us. It was a dentist from Minnesota who paid $50,000 to shoot the lion."

"According to the news, he hired a company. He flew to Zimbabwe. Two locals took him to the national park. They tied a dead animal to the back of the jeep to lure the lion out of the park because it's illegal to shoot them in the park. They call it baiting. Once they got the lion out of the park, they put a spotlight on him and then the dentist shot Cecil with a bow and arrow. But the arrow didn't kill the lion so they tracked him and 40 hours later shot him with a gun, skinned him, took the head and left the body there. Now, unfortunately for him, the researchers at Oxford who are tracking Cecil were able to trace the signal and find the carcass and the local authorities found the hunters who say they realized too late that they shot an animal with GPS. They tried to destroy the tracking collar but failed to do that, so they know who it was," he added. "The American hunter whose name is Walt Palmer is currently in hiding."