JOHNSON COUNTY, Ky. (WTHR) — A woman from eastern Kentucky is taking heat for her photo with with a giraffe she hunted in South Africa.
Tess Talley posted a photo of herself with her "trophy kill," and thousands came after her on social media.
While trophy hunting is legal in multiple African countries, many are still calling the her "savage," "cowardice" and "sickening."
Talley responded to her critics in a statement to NBC affiliate WSAZ. She said contrary to others' claims, the giraffe was not rare, and was past breeding age.
As for the threats she's received, she said "to make threats to anyone because they don't believe the way you do is completely unacceptable."
Read Talley's full statement below.
The giraffe I hunted was the South African sub species of giraffe. The numbers of this sub-species is actually increasing due in part to hunters and conservation efforts paid for in large part by big game hunting. The breed is not rare in any way other than it was very old. Giraffes get darker with age. This giraffe was 18+ years old and beyond breeding age, yet had killed 3 younger bulls who would have been able to breed...this causes the population of that herd to go down. Now that the giraffe is gone, the younger bulls are able to breed...this causes the population increase. This is called conservation through game management. Option 1: let the giraffe continue terrorizing younger bulls, die naturally, waste the meat, hide, bones. Lose income to rancher, conservation for the rest of the herd, taxidermist, shippers, etc. Option 2: find someone willing to pay $100,000+ to transport, care for, feed the giraffe for what would have been 1-2 years left of life max. a) put him in with another herd where he continues to kill young bulls=population goes down. b) lock him in a small inhumane enclosed pen where he could potentially injure himself or others trying to escape. Option 3: sell the hunt, earn income for conservation of the other remaining giraffes, income to ranch owner, income to trackers, skinners, taxidermist, etc. Use the meat for much needed protein I cannot speak for all, or any other hunts that take place in Africa or elsewhere in the world but this was not a “canned” hunt. I will say one more thing on this subject. For all the people wishing death or even threatening death to me. This does nothing positive for your “movement” it only shows the world how lopsided your priorities are. The very same picture could have been posted, and are posted daily, of men with their trophies and not a word is said. It is by far women that hunt who catch more grief from the “tolerant” and “all loving” animal rights activists. It’s sickening to the majority of people how women are treated all over the world, except in the case of women hunters. You people call yourselves compassionate and caring, yet some of the most vile things have been directed at me and many other women hunters. I get that hunting is not for everyone, that’s what makes this world great is the differences. But to make threats to anyone because they don’t believe the way you do is completely unacceptable. If it was any other belief that was different, threats and insults would be deemed hideous, however for some reason it is ok to act this way because it’s hunting.
Talley insinuates she paid more than $100,000 to hunt the animal, and argues its better for game management.
