Hardcore Huntress Melissa Bachman Blasted Online For Posting Picture With Dead Lion [SEE VIDEO]
Gone are the days when hunting was considered an active sport and applauded for being an act of bravery. Today is the time of animal rights activism. If American television presenter and avid hunter Melissa Bachman was slightly aware of animal rights, she would have never posted a dead lion picture on social media. Bachman is now facing public outrage for glorifying hunting after she posted pictures of her with a lion she claimed to have killed in South Africa.
Bachman is a self-proclaimed ''hardcore huntress'' who produces animal and wildlife programs for the local television in United States. ''Incredible day in South Africa,'' Melissa wrote on her Facebook page along with a picture of dead lion from the Maroi Conservancy in South Africa.
''Stalked inside 60-yards on this beautiful male lion - what a hunt!'' Bachman added sparking furious reactions from animal lovers. The picture, which you can see here, shows a smiling Melissa with a rifle in one hand as she sits alongside a corpse of a male lion. The picture is seen in bad light as it glorifies killing animals.
Melissa faced severe backlash from her Facebook and Twitter followers and had to deactivate all her social media accounts including her personal website. The huntress' outrageous act also prompted an online petition by one Elan Burman of Cape Town where he asks the South African government to ban her from returning.
"The Government of the Republic of South Africa: Deny future entry to Melissa Bachman," is the title of the petition.
''She is an absolute contradiction to the culture of conservation this country prides itself on,'' Burman of Cape Town. The petition has already gathered more than 74,000 signatures.
"People should not be killing animals for sport. Disgusting," writes Debbie Sykes from Japan, who is also one of the signatories.
"These animals have no chance against guns. She has no right to kill these beautiful creatures," writes another signatory Scott Pringle, from Cape Town.
This is not the first time that Melissa is the subject of controversy. In 2012, she was removed as a contestant on the National Geographic program "Ultimate Survival Alaska" after 13,000 people signed a petition protesting against her participation.
Melissa is a seasoned and professional hunter and has often been photographed with various kills on her website and even YouTube. She has a section on her Web site which is called the "Trophy Room." It shows more than 60 photographs of Melissa posing with different dead animals. Though she has deactivated all her personal accounts, you can still see her YouTube page here.
Winchester Deadly Passion Season 2 Show Open
:Youtube.com/Melissa Bachman