Glenn McGrath hunting photos backlash: Cricketer shamed after shooting African animals

HE was idolised for hunting down opposition batsmen but former cricketer Glenn McGrath has become the target for an animal rights group intent on putting him to shame.

The Australian Test legend faced widespread condemnation yesterday after photographs were posted of him sitting and smiling with a rifle in front of a dead elephant and other wild animals on a hunting ­safari in Zimbabwe.

Taken in 2008, the pictures had long been on the website of the Chipitani Safari Company ­but exploded into prominence yesterday after being posted on the Facebook page of the Animals Worth Fighting For activist group.

A message with the picture urged readers to tweet the famed fast bowler and “let him know how disgusting his behaviour is and that you will no longer support the McGrath Foundation until he cuts all ties with hunting and animal exploitation”.

The photographs quickly gathered exposure on Twitter, with people threatening to withdraw funding from the McGrath Foundation, the breast cancer charity he established with first wife Jane and turned in to one of the country’s biggest such organisations.

“Glenn McGrath game hunter. Yes, that’s a dead elephant he’s grinning about. Won’t give any more $ to his foundation,” one Twitter user wrote.

Another pleaded for a response from the former paceman turned philanthropist: “OMG please say it isn’t true @glennmcgrath11”.

McGrath soon released a statement on his own Twitter account expressing his regret at the “licensed and legal” hunting expedition.

“In 2008 I participated in a hunting safari in Zimbabwe that was licensed and legal, but in hindsight highly inappropriate,” McGrath admitted. “It was an extremely difficult time in my life and looking back I deeply regret being involved.”

His first wife Jane died from breast cancer in 2008. He now serves as president of the McGrath Foundation breast cancer charity which he founded with Jane.

The photographs of the hunting safari also show McGrath posing with a dead buffalo, dead hyenas, elephant tusks and a buffalo skull, alongside the caption “Glenn McGrath 2008” but were quickly taken down from the Chipitani ­Safari Co’s website after the controversy ignited.

In a feature on McGrath in the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (SSAA) magazine, the former fast bowler talks of his love of hunting. “When I’m hunting if something is 400m away, I’d rather stalk it, stay in close and use my skills. Get into about 50m and be sure of the shot. With (a single-shot action firearm), it’s one shot that matters, and if I’m not comfortable with the shot, I won’t take it,” he is quoted as saying.

“I’m keen to get into trophy hunting, no animal in particular, but a big safari in Africa would be great. I’d prefer to do the safari on foot, like they did in the old days and just take the camp with you, not driving around in 4WDs.

“That to me would be perfect. It’s not about the quantity of trophies; although quality is ­important, it’s not everything. Just being out there in that environment would be amazing,” he told the magazine.

The safari company could not be contacted for comment but claims to “specialise in the best dangerous and plains game hunting in Zimbabwean concessions”.

In Zimbabwe, elephants are culled annually by government wildlife rangers to control herds.

Animal rights groups condemned McGrath for the photos.

A spokeswoman for PETA said the “trophy hunting” photos were “extremely disturbing” and called on McGrath to stop hunting.

“These kind of trophy hunts…are transparently devoid of any semblance of a sporting element and conducted by unscrupulous people who stalk and kill intelligent and sensitive animals who have no chance of escape.”

Isabel McCrea, region director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said it was unethical to kill elephants.

She said each adult elephant played a vital function within the family and social network of the herd, such as the knowledge as to the location of waterholes.

“If you’re killing an adult elephant you’re killing an animal that would be part of a family group, Ms McCrea said. “That group would recognise their absence and grieve.”

Ms McCrea said the images of McGrath, a role model and national sporting hero, sent an unfortunate message that “being a man equates to killing an endangered animal”.

On its website the McGrath Foundation names Taronga Western Plains Zoo as one of their ‘event friends’.

A Taronga spokesman was unable to comment when contacted.

ncG1vNJzZmimlazAb6%2FOpmWarV%2BjrrW1zqeYpWeeqMRurcKtZpyqmZi4psCMpZygnZ6Zeqi4xKelZqWTnL%2BiwMdmqqGZnZqxbrvVnqlmoKWjwaq6xmanoaekpMBwusSwqmarpKS%2FunuXbWifmWeZf3aClZ5pcWlkaH50hcNubnBrYZmAc62Rng%3D%3D