South African trophy hunter slammed for posing with giraffe heart

**Saint Willy** · 23-02-2021, 07:15 AM

The 32-year-old proudly posed with the “wonderful” present from her husband – but was quickly slammed for her actions. WARNING: Graphic.
The trophy hunter was slammed for sharing the distressing images to Facebook. Picture: Facebook/Merelize Van Der Merwe.Source:Facebook

A South African hunter has sparked a furious backlash after posting photos of her posing with a dead giraffe’s corpse and heart on Facebook.
But farmer and mum Merelize Van Der Merwe insists she has done nothing wrong – instead claiming her slaying of the giraffe helps save under-threat African species and likening animal rights groups to the “mafia”.
The 32-year-old caused an uproar last week when she posted photos and videos of the Valentine’s Day present her “wonderful” husband had given her: the chance to shoot and kill a 17-year-old giraffe.
“Ever wondered how big a giraffe’s heart is? I’m over the moon with my Valentines present!!!” Ms Van Der Merwe captioned one graphic photo.
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Merelize Van Der Merwe sparked outrage when she posted multiple videos and photos of her with a dead giraffe she had shot. Picture: Facebook/Merelize Van Der Merwe.Source:Facebook

Ms Van Der Merwe’s husband spent $2667 at a game park in Sun City resort making her dream come true after a giraffe was spotted there, she revealed in an interview with British newspaper The Mirror.
“I love the skin and the fact it’s such an iconic animal for Africa,” she said.
“Our plans changed quickly. My wonderful husband Gerhardt knew this was my dream. I was like a child for two weeks, counting the days. Afterwards I was flooded with emotions.”
Ms Van Der Merwe said she plans to turn the slain animal into a rug and “a lot of meat for the locals”.
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She even posed with the dead animal’s heart. Picture: Facebook/Merelize Van Der Merwe.Source:Facebook

She defended her actions, claiming that trophy hunters who killed animals for sport created demand for species to be bred.
“Hunting has helped bring back a lot of species from the brink of extinction. The only people protecting these animals are trophy hunters,” Ms Van Der Merwe said.
But plenty of people disagreed, describing Ms Van Der Merwe’s slaying of the giraffe as “cold blood murder” of a “defenceless” animal.
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Ms Van Der Merwe claimed her actions helped protect animals from extinction. Picture: Facebook/Merelize Van Der Merwe.Source:Facebook

“How can anyone be proud and get ‘excited’ when you are basically pointing a gun and pulling the trigger? It’s hardly a ’sport’. Nothing to be proud of at all,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“Just horrific … as if this is conservation,” another commented.
Ms Van Der Merwe has since responded to the backlash on Facebook, saying that she wasn’t afraid of the online attacks.
“I‘m a proud hunter and will continue to hunt,” she wrote in one post.
She also hit back at the “animal rights activists” who get “triggered by everything so they go to the supermarket and buy their meat because no animal gets hurt there”.

South African trophy hunter slammed for posing with giraffe heart

**OhOh** · 23-02-2021, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by TheRealKW

so they go to the supermarket and buy their meat because no animal gets hurt there”.

Exactly.

**panama hat** · 23-02-2021, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by OhOh

Exactly.

Why isn't it surprising that you'd agree with that and can't see the difference . . .

**Saint Willy** · 23-02-2021, 11:04 AM

Farmed domesticted animals vs hunted trophy animals.

She's also not hunting for food, she's giving it away to the 'starving africans', innit she?

**VocalNeal** · 23-02-2021, 11:16 AM

Van Der Merwe is the name usually used when introducing a South African Joke. Ie. Van Der Merwe walks into a bar....

So none of the poor giraffe's story will be any surprise to a South African.

Van der Merwe is invited to have lunch with the Queen. While sitting at her table he says to her:

"Jis you know Queen you have got such a nice house, and you know Queen your clothes are so nice and you know Queen your food is bakgat!"

The Queen gets pissed off with this Queen bit and says to Van. "Mr Van der Merwe, you should not be calling me Queen this and Queen that the correct title is "Your highness".

Van says, " ..jis that is unbelievable, my brother's name is also Johannes and he is also a queen!"

**Edmond** · 23-02-2021, 11:20 AM

I've yet to meet a white Seth Efkin that I've liked.

**nidhogg** · 23-02-2021, 11:28 AM

The argument that trophy hunting serves to protect wild species (hunters spend a lot which can be used to protect habitats etc) seems to be quite hotly debated - and whether hunting has a big edge over camera safaris also seems to be contentious.
Whereas intellectually I can see that some argument could be made for trophy hunting in terms of conservation, deep down I cannot help but feel that using a high caliber rifle from a safe distance to kill an animal that has been found for you is not exactly "hunting", and that you have to be an utter douchebag to find any sort of enjoyment from it.

Others mileage might vary.

**lom** · 23-02-2021, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by nidhogg

deep down I cannot help but feel that using a high caliber rifle from a safe distance to kill an animal that has been found for you is not exactly "hunting", and that you have to be an utter douchebag to find any sort of enjoyment from it.

It is similar to shooting Palestinian stone-throwers and the same difficulty level

**AntRobertson** · 23-02-2021, 11:35 AM

I'm not a fan of hunting but have no qualms with it personally, I've done it and just prefer to do other things with my time, but that's quite separate and distinct from trophy hunting.

There's something quite fucked in the head about someone who enjoys a canned hunt and displaying something like a giraffe's heart in my opinion.

Something quite pathological about it. I get the impression those are exactly the kind of person depicted in those schlocky B-Movies about people hunting others for sport just 'cos they can.

**OhOh** · 23-02-2021, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

There's something quite fucked in the head about someone who enjoys a canned hunt and displaying something like a giraffe's heart in my opinion.

A Thai observation.

There are many pigs heads offered for sale at the markets. Somebody is raisint the pigs others are buying them to eat. The Giraffe head may be a local delicacy or the only meat some may have access to.

There are many people that unveil their favourite dish, at the dinner table/on a convenient website, to impress their guests/fellow posters.

Whether some consider that farming wild animals that have been "raised" for others to kill is fucked in the head I leave for others to opinionate on.

**AntRobertson** · 23-02-2021, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by OhOh

There are many pigs heads offered for sale at the markets. Somebody is buying them to eat. The Giraffe head may be a local delicacy or the only meat some may have access to.

Or it may not be and that may be a ridiculous false equivalence.

**panama hat** · 23-02-2021, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by OhOh

A Thai observation.

You're not Thai and giraffes are not pigs

**Headworx** · 23-02-2021, 02:47 PM

If anyone thinks Giraffe's heads have some imaginary health or luck characteristics, it'll be the fucking bat eaters

**Saint Willy** · 23-02-2021, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by OhOh

or the only meat some may have access to.

What a trope that is...

**Davis Knowlton** · 23-02-2021, 05:12 PM

For a moment, I thought Rick 'Danger' Thai was back.

**panama hat** · 23-02-2021, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

For a moment, I thought Rick 'Danger' Thai was back.

A man's man if ever there was one.

**cyrille** · 23-02-2021, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Or it may not be and that may be a ridiculous false equivalence.

Perhaps the TD coat of arms should be OhNo rampant and mounted.

Atop klondick.

What's 'By Christ, They Don't Half Post Some Bollocks' in Latin?

**AntRobertson** · 23-02-2021, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by cyrille

What's 'By Christ, They Don't Half Post Some Bollocks' in Latin?

Absurdo Lackum Facto...something....something...?

**OhOh** · 23-02-2021, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by cyrille

Perhaps the TD coat of arms should be OhNo rampant and mounted.

Atop klondick.

Projecting again I see.

**panama hat** · 24-02-2021, 02:30 AM

Originally Posted by OhOh

Projecting again I see.

How so?

Quite clearly stated that he means you:

Originally Posted by cyrille

Perhaps the TD coat of arms should be OhNo rampant and mounted.

Atop klondick.

Another example of speaking but not understanding the language, OhNo

**Buckaroo Banzai** · 24-02-2021, 03:51 AM

Not only Degusting behaviousre, but also idiotic to think that she could post pictures and think that no one would get offended.

**OhOh** · 24-02-2021, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai

think that no one would get offended.

There are always some people that "would get offended". Who are able to reply on all subjects, here on TD as well as in other forums.

It's called freedom of speech. But as we see here and elsewhere, they are rapidly being removed. Being disappeared from many.

**panama hat** · 24-02-2021, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by OhOh

It's called freedom of speech.

Umm . . . no, there isn't on a privately owned forum.

Originally Posted by OhOh

It's called freedom of speech. But as we see here and elsewhere, they are rapidly being removed. Being disappeared from many.

Oh, you mean like in China . . . fuckwit

**Wakey** · 24-02-2021, 12:21 PM

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