Woman Gets Slammed After Taking a Picture with a Rare Black Giraffe she Previously Hunted

Trophy hunting is a widely decried sport, with intense controversies raging worldwide each time a new incident involving an endangered or protected species comes to light. American trophy hunter Tessa Thompson Talley was no exception.

Talley went on a hunting trip to South Africa, where hunting is quite a booming industry. She posed with several animals she had shot and killed while on the trip. Nevertheless, none attracted as much backlash as the photo she posted of her posing next to a black giraffe she had hunted.

So Tess Thompson Talley says giraffes are not becoming extinct and they kill for conservation...but kills a RARE black giraffe. What an intelligent human being she is. #sarcasm #TessThompsonTalley #AnimalRights #notsocluelessantihunters #TTT #itsnotconservation pic.twitter.com/AqnCLwUZEz

— Yasmeen K Stecller (@stecller) June 19, 2018

She shared the photograph with the caption, "Prayers for my once in a lifetime Dream hunt came true today! Spotted this rare black giraffe bull and stalked him for quite awhile. I knew it was the one. He was over 18 years old, 4,000 lbs and was blessed to be able to get 2,000 lbs of meat from him."

Tess Thompson Talley. May you suffer guilt, torment, and loneliness from your mental illness. Shame on you. #sick #sick #sick #TessThompsonTalley #StopTheMadness #juststop pic.twitter.com/1xX2yEeVoC

— vjbd (@victoriajbd) June 20, 2018

Africa Digest initially picked up on the trophy hunter's pictures and shared them to Twitter, deriding Talley with the caption, "White American savage who is partly a neanderthal comes to Africa and shoot down a very rare black giraffe courtesy of South Africa stupidity."

Here's a lovely picture of Texan hunter Tess Thompson Talley showing her love on World Giraffe Day. pic.twitter.com/wsmOPjDX4f

— Ben Trovato (@BTrovato) June 21, 2018

The article writer also didn't hesitate to point out the woman's identity. "Her name is Tess Thompson Talley. Please share. If our so-called governments can’t care for our wildlife then its time we stand up and responsibility of our continent, lands, resources, and wildlife…. share share share! and let’s have a united voice against pillage of Africa, it’s the only home we have."

Several users on Twitter picked up the tweet and shared it, calling for other users to send her messages on Facebook expressing outrage at her killing of a rare animal faced with the threat of extinction. In response, Talley made her account private, to prevent people from commenting on her pictures.

I’m horrified by seeing these pictures. People like her are actually killing defenseless animals for pleasure!! This needs to stop. NOW!!! #TessThompsonTalley #BanTrophyHunting @GAIABrussels pic.twitter.com/lBsdoqADGT

— Δααν (@DaanJordens) June 18, 2018

South Africa stands to gain from the commerce generating by the trophy hunting trade. However, it comes at the cost of losing its wildlife populations, particularly those animals that are threatened with extinction. Many people let out their land so that trophy hunters and tourists can hunt down exotic animals to take home as trophies.

Family of 4 on a trophy hunt in South Africa kill a lion. Trophy hunting family holidays is big business in South Africa. pic.twitter.com/csRrgejvU3

— Wild Animal Awareness (@WWA_Awareness) June 3, 2018

Several countries have cracked down on trophy hunting as a tourist activity and have banned the sport, especially after the great killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe. Botswana, Brazil, Kenya, and India have declared trophy hunting illegal, and other countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Australia have banned trophies of lions from being imported.

Cecil, the lion, was much more beautiful and amazing alive than 'in dead trophy.' pic.twitter.com/8q5H6ilAvZ

— Charles Darwin (@CDarwin3270) November 17, 2017

Reference: Thedailynet