France: Hobby hunters lose jobs after trophy hunting
In France, two hobby hunters lose their jobs after photos of their trophy hunting in Africa become public. Their employer distances itself from them.
It was meant to be a trophy photo showcasing their success on the hunt, but the image of a French couple posing next to a lion they had shot ultimately led to their dismissal.
The two managers of a supermarket in L’Arbresle dans le Rhône, a small town in eastern France near Lyon, had taken part in a so-called canned hunting safari in Africa, in which animals are shot while confined within a fenced enclosure.
Such a hunting safari virtually guarantees a successful kill for decadent hobby hunters.
Lions are raised by hand on so-called canned hunting farms so that they later have no natural fear of humans — and therefore of the hobby hunter. On many farms, the animals are even lured with bait or sedated with drugs to ensure a successful kill even for inexperienced marksmen. In countries such as South Africa, for example, anyone is in principle permitted to go lion hunting. A hunting licence or proof of hunting experience is not required in most cases.
Canned hunting is a hobby for the wealthy minority, as a single kill can cost over 50’000 francs. The price depends on the sex and physical condition of the animal. The more impressive the lion, the deeper the decadent must dig into their pockets for the trophy.
However, when images spread across social media showing the Alboud couple posing beside the carcasses of a lion, a hippopotamus, a zebra, an alligator, and a leopard, it triggered a fierce wave of national outrage across France.
Faced with enormous pressure and calls to boycott the supermarket they managed, the two decadent hobby hunters decided to resign «with immediate effect,» the supermarket announced on Tuesday.
«These images contradict the values and commitments of the supermarket chain. We strongly condemn them, even though they relate to the managers' private activities», the statement reads.
«In light of the condemnation these activities have provoked within the cooperative and the justified public outrage, the store managers have decided to immediately leave the chain and their store in L’Arbresle.»
Copies of the incriminating photos were published by «30 Millions d’Amis», a French animal welfare organisation whose name means «30 Million Friends».
The company promised to hire new managers and announced that the supermarket would reopen on Thursday.
