An American woman who killed a giraffe states that it was part of the conservation effort

WASHINGTON (AP) – A Kentucky woman vilified on social networks for killing a giraffe during a hunt 2017 in Africa said that she had

A photo of Tess Talley posing with a big giraffe became viral this week after the Twitter account of a site called Africa Digest posted two pictures and l & # 39; 39, called a "white American savage". [19659006] The media reports that Talley comes from Johnson County in eastern Kentucky. She issued a statement this week saying that the giraffe was not uncommon and that she was participating in what she called "conservation through game management."

She says in the statement "some of the most vile things have been directed against me and many other Talley has been criticized on social media by celebrities such as Ricky Gervais and the actress" Will and Grace "Debra Messing, who called her a" disgusting murderer, vile, amoral, heartless, selfish. "

Photos posted by Talley last year show her standing and smiling beside her. A dead giraffe with the caption: "Prayers for my unique dream hunt have become reality today!"

Trophy hunting is a legal practice in many African countries.

states in his statement that the giraffe was over 18 years old and had killed three other young giraffes who were of childbearing age

"I understand that hunting is not for everyone," she said in the statement. "If it was wa s any other belief that will be t different, threats and insults would be considered hideous, but for whatever reason, it is acceptable to do so because it is hunting. "