'There's no sport in that': trophy hunters and the masters of the universe

Modern trophy hunters can shoot animals via the internet - but they argue that it is all conservation. The killing of Xanda - Cecil the Lion's son - has sparked debate about what hunting really meansThey're known as canned hunts; captive mammal hunting ranches in the US which offer the chance to shoot a zebra or antelope or even a lion for several thousand dollars. The animals are fenced in and often unafraid of humans so the kills are easy, to the extent that some venues even provide the option of shooting them via the internet, with the use of a camera and a gun on a mount.It's estimated that there are more than 1,000 of them - completely legal. But many US hunters consider them a betrayal of every belief they hold dear. "I don't consider that hunting," said John Rogalo, a New Jersey hunter who has been stalking bears, deer and turkeys for nearly 50 years. "It's a weird culture that has developed in this country in the past few years. I joke that you may as well ask the farmer if you could shoot his black Angus because at least you'd get more meat for it." Continue reading...