Hunters Criticised for Killing Giraffes.

[FYI. For Your Interest.]

Why?

Why, in a deeply speciesist world, does it "beggar... belief some people find it acceptable to kill them to have their picture with the dead animal"?

Given prevailing attitudes, should we expect this sort of thing?

Hunters criticised for killing giraffes.

Hunters pay up to £10,000 for the giraffe-hunting expeditions, which target the larger males.

Safari clubs and game reserves ask for a £1,500 trophy fee and add £1,000 a day for guides and trackers.

Dr Julian Fennessey, of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, said some hunters came from Britain but most were from North America, Germany, Russia and Scandinavia.

"Some hunters just like to have photos taken next to the dead giraffe”, he said. "But others pay taxidermists to mount the head so they can take them home as a souvenir. Or they might want to take the skin."

Joe Duckworth, of The League Against Cruel Sports, said: "It is immensely selfish to kill these animals.

"It beggars belief some people find it acceptable to kill them to have their picture with the dead animal."

Africa’s giraffe population is understood to have nearly halved since 1988 - falling from more than 140,000 to fewer than 80,000.

They are now thought to be extinct in places such as Angola, Mali and Nigeria. But in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe it is still legal to hunt them.

The owner of one South African hunting firm, who refused to be named, defended the killings.

He told The Sun: "These are legal hunts, by professionals on private land. There will always be emotion from people who are not hunters when they see dead animals, but these are very regulated practises.

“Rhino and other animals have been saved through conservation and the most money for conservation is generated from hunting."

Dr Fennessy has controversially argued in favour of hunting. He said: "In the countries where you can hunt legally, the populations are increasing but across Africa the numbers are dropping.

"It shows that if properly managed, the hunting can be sustainable."

[Carolyn Bailey]

Joe Duckworth, of The League Against Cruel Sports, said: "It is immensely selfish to kill these animals.

It is immensely selfish to kill ANY other animal! 

It continues to surprise me that many humans can be appalled at the killing of a magnificent animal like a giraffe, but not think twice about eating an equally magnificent animal like a chicken, a cow, a fish etc. 

[Vivian O'Reilly]

LACS are likely just seizing any and every opportunity to get in the media and garner some donations. Totally agree with you both on the puzzling fury these stories create.