A horrifying video is doing rounds on the web. It shows a hunter that creeps up on a sleeping lion before killing it. The hunter sneaks up on the sleeping cat before taking aim and shooting it.
The "trophy hunter" then watches the lion die in agony before the video cuts to a group of people celebrating the successful kill.
The video did not offer any information on those involved or where the video was from. However, there is a man who can be heard calling another "Mr. Gooney."
The group shared the video on social media, saying that the hunter was fearless and 'sporting' to sneak up on a sleeping lion to kill it as he did.
This is a truly unwelcome perspective. We live in a world where the African lion will disappear off the continent in about 30 years.
The hunting party seems to think this deadline means that time is running out for trophy hunters. They want to add a lion to their sickening list of sporting achievements.
On the verge of extinction
At the moment, the lion is categorized as 'vulnerable,' and it is considered an endangered species. Due to hunting and poaching, many animals are on the verge of extinction today. Although efforts are being made to stop these harmful trends, it appears to be a losing battle for the conservationists.
Every lion lost through hunting and poaching is a huge blow.
About a century ago, it was estimated that the lion population exceeded 200,000. That was quite a strong number. Today, only less than 23,000 lions are left. That is why experts estimate that you will be lucky to see a lion by 2050.
If these actions keep taking place, then there is a high likelihood that this is precisely what will happen.
Even the online community felt that the actions these hunters took were heartless and inconsiderate.
Some Twitter users claimed that the actions were disgusting and that it was an utter display of the lack of humanity currently plaguing our world.
Others questioned the legality of the actions the hunters took, even if we were to forget for a moment the inhumanity of shooting a sleeping animal and destroying our planet in the process.
Still, others wondered what pleasure was to be found in killing animals for no reason. This particular individual claimed that a world where going around killing things just for the heck of it was permissible was headed in the wrong direction.
Still no ID on the hunter
Given this barrage of comments, it should hardly come as a surprise that many were curious to know the hunters' identity in the video so that they could publicly shame them.
Many are at a loss to understand why this pointless killing is still going on in a world that struggles to ensure that many popular animal species do not go extinct, including lions.
Hunting is not a 'sport' as many think. The animals are not 'trophies' that should be shot and dragged home as accomplishments. These are endangered animals that need our attention and care to avoid extinction.
