Top 5 Reasons Trophy Hunting is Cringy

I couldn't be any more outspoken when it comes to trophy hunting. I find it to be an utterly repulsive "sport" that allows people to engage in unjust slaughter of innocent animals without regard for animal welfare. It has long been a target of my aggression, in fact, I can honestly say I've written to and been in touch with at least 3 different governments petitioning them to enact a trophy hunting ban. I would love nothing more than to see a global ban on trophy hunting but until that happens, we will continue to see pictures shared on social media of people revelling in their glory, sitting in front of a majestic animal they shot dead for fun.

In lieu of my hate towards Trophy Hunting, let's talk about the top 5 reasons trophy hunting is cringy.

1. It's LIterally A Sport that Involves Stalking and Killing Animals

The number one reason trophy hunting is gross, it's a sport wholly dedicated to stalking and shooting dead an unsuspecting animal. People who engage in trophy hunting seem to be missing a sensitivity chip if they can happily spend tens of thousands of dollars to fly out to some exotic location for the sole purpose of shooting an animal dead. It's abhorrent to consider how many people continue to engage in this "sport" at the expense of innocent animals. With the plethora of activities we have at our disposal, why people would willingly choose to engage in this horrendous activity is far beyond my comprehension.

2. Trophy Hunters Kill Exotic Animals Under the Guise of Conservation

This is probably my biggest bone of contention with trophy hunting, the excuse that they are somehow helping with conservation. Trophy hunters claim that the money spent participating on these exotic hunts is funnelled into conservation efforts. The problem with this claim you ask? How about that they are shooting animals like giraffes, lions, and elephants, all of which are currently struggling in the wild due to a variety of natural and human caused perils. Loss of habitat, drought, and increased human conflict are all pushing these beautiful creatures further towards extinction and somehow running out and shooting them is helping them to recover in the wild? I would have an easier time believing these claims if these same arseholes weren't petitioning to bring back trophies. I mean, if you're so invested in helping conservation, why do you care so much about bringing back bits and pieces of the animals you've slaughtered to put on display? It's hypocrisy at its finest.

3. Babies Lose their Mothers / Fathers
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Although hunters claim that they only hunt specific animals within a pack to ensure stability with the remaining animals, can we 100% confirm that this is always the case? Making a mistake and shooting a nursing mother leaves babies behind without their mother to protect them. These babies will likely perish in the wild as they rely on their mothers for survival meaning their lives leading up to their deaths are filled with fear and loneliness. It's pretty heartbreaking.

4. The Trophies

I'm sorry, there's something unquestionably twisted about hanging body parts on your walls for everyone to see. Hunting trophies are to me, the biggest slap in the face to animals imaginable. Celebrating the slaughter of innocent animal is questionable enough without the addition of hanging their heads in your dining room for guests to marvel at. I think it's even worse that these trophies come from animals that are potentially endangered like elephants or giraffes. It's like celebrating that you're contributing to the decline of a species, it's just wrong and gross.

 5. The Process of Obtaining these Animals

​Although this is not always the case, some of the animals used on these reserves have already suffered leading up to their place on the reserves. Lions for example are bred to eventually end up on these reserves. Beginning from babies, they are used at unregistered petting zoos where tourists can pet / take photos with them. When they begin to get too large, they can potentially be shipped off to travelling circus' where they live in cages in between performances that they are often beat into submission to performing. When they are fully grown, they are shipped off to game reserves where they wait until it is time to be shot, killedm, and mounted on some asshole's wall. Their entire existence is in captivity solely to benefit humans who exploit them.