American woman hunted and shot lion in Africa. Are you angry?

Melissa shot a lion in Africa

Are you angry about the American woman who hunted and shot a lion in South Africa? The story is big news. The woman is an American TV presenter of a game hunting show Winchester’s Deadly Passion. On the television show she hunts bears and deer etc.. Her name is Melissa Bachman. She shares her passion for shooting wild animals with other Americans such as Sarah Palin and Eva Longoria, an actress.

She proudly declared on her Twitter feed:

“Incredible day in South Africa! Stalked inside 60 yards on this beautiful male lion…what a hunt!”

So, she got within 60 yards of a male, African lion in the Maroi Conservancy in South Africa and shot him dead. She is clearly very proud of that.


View Maroi Conservancy and Farming in a larger map

Melissa did nothing illegal. The South African government allows regulated lion hunting. Canned lion hunts are also allowed. These are lions in captivity bred to be shot. At one time it was banned but now reinstated. Canned lion hunting is an ego trip for hunters with pots of money and poor eyesight.

Melissa forgets that the lion is considered Vulnerable by the Red List and its population has declined from about 400,000 in the 1950s to around 30,000 in Africa in 1996. The decline is due to increased human activity destroying habitat. The lion’s habitat is 25% of what it was.

Set against the miserable background of the gradual, inexorable extinction of the lion in the wild, it seems to me to be rather selfish of Melissa to pay big bucks for the visceral pleasure of shooting such a magnificent and precious animal, one of the world’s most popular. I guess the rarer they become the keener hunters are to shoot one.

Melissa also does not recognise the fact that 4,062 lions have been shot by sport hunters between 2005 and 2011 in Africa. I cannot see how sport hunting of lions is allowed in these quantities under these circumstances.

Melissa has been described as a “heartless trophy hunter”. She can take the lion carcass home if she wishes and have it stuffed. She probably will.

A while ago, I complained that online petitions were ineffective. However, I may be proved wrong or things are changing. The internet carries more weight nowadays. There is a petition on change.org for Melissa to be banned from South Africa. Her selfish, thoughtless behavior in shooting this magnificent creature is described as an “absolute contradiction” to the South African culture of conservation.

I would not be so sure that South Africa is that concerned with conservation if they authorise sport hunting of one of their most precious wildlife assets. This is more about money than conservation and money always overrules conservation and don’t be fooled into thinking that shooting lions helps in conservation.

49 thoughts on “American woman hunted and shot lion in Africa. Are you angry?”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
    • I don’t think there is one case of a lion eating a child in recent history. Yes, there were some man-eating lions in Africa 100 years ago or so but not today. Certainly no chance today. Your argument is poor and out of step with modern thinking.

      Reply
    • She was on the news (radio). She shoots anything. She proudly tells the world how many different species of animal she has shot (I think it is something like 65 different animals). A horrible, insensitive, unthinking, selfish, immoral person as far as I am concerned. The world does not need people like her.

      Reply
  2. Pathetic, cowards that get all their food from a supermarket or a pizza place.
    Good for Melissa Bachman, great shot from 60 yards.
    Real skill unlike cowards and trash that are brave hiding behind a computer in their mommy’s basement. Get a job, get a life.
    Sack of crap, how about we feed you to the lions or hyenas, after all it is all about helping the wild life. Your sacrifice would improve the world, cut CO2 emissions and lessen the stupid noise.

    Reply
    • What the hell are you talking about? What point are you making? You are writing gobbledygook. Ten to one on, you are a silly troll living with your “Mom” in her suburban home and you’re 38.

      Reply
      • Another POS who cannot even read, pathetic.
        unlike you I have a real job, not living in mommy’s basement on welfare.
        At least you can spell, can’t think though, no surprise there.
        Another POS coward, what a waste of skin.
        Sad really.

        Reply
        • It is you who is sad. You’re just ignorant, something out of the dark ages. You actually support the shooting of lions in Africa! How can anyone in their right mind support that?

          By the way I a retired solicitor in the UK (London). Just to put the record straight.

          Reply
  3. So can someone please tell me how i can change this?? Online petitions apparently mean nothing but I am more than serious about putting an end to this unjust, arrogant, sick act. Animals should NOT be hunted for any reason other than food. HELP!!

    Reply
    • I know exactly how you feel. I really do. One problem that we have is that we cannot change it. The only change can come from the people of South Africa who clear out the current government and replace it with one that respects wildlife and preserves it for the future rather than thinking short term and making fast bucks through licensing hunting.

      There a lot of wealthy people who are willing to pay a lot ($20,000 for a canned lion hunt and lots more for this sort of hunt) for the pleasure of shooting a lion. If each of the 4,000 lions shot were worth $20,000 to the “owner” – and I guess these lions are “owned” by the people who run the reserves – that makes 80,000,000 (80 million) USD. Shooting lions in Africa makes someone rich.

      By the way, there is no need today to hunt animals for food in the USA or any industrialised nation. I don’t even in believe in that. It is an archaic concept.

      Reply
    • Nothing can change until all humans respect all animals and realise they are not put on this earth for us to hunt for pleasure, or to eat, or to use, or to entertain us, or to experiment on, or to abuse, or for any other way the selfish human race pleases to do with them just because we can.

      Reply
    • it might be your death if the lion gets to you, then say save the lion. yes they are beautiful animals but not from the inside of his mouth

      Reply

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