The Texas teenager who sparked outrage on Facebook by posting pictures of herself with animals she hunted and killed in Africa has responded to her online backlash, using President Teddy Roosevelt in her defense.
“He killed the same species that hunters now chase today under a mound of anti-hunting pressure,” she posted on her page. “Yet, how can it be possible that someone can love the earth, and take from the Earth in the name of conservation? For some folks, they’ll never understand.”
So far, nearly 200,000 people have signed a petition asking CEO Mark Zuckerberg to delete the Kendall Jones public figure page because it “promotes animal cruelty.”
The petition reads: “For the sake of all animals, especially the animals in the African region…where hunters are going for fun just to kill an animal! Some people have been reporting the pages but it seems Facebook is not concerned about what Kendall Jones is promoting in her page.”
But the 19-year-old Texas Tech cheerleader isn’t backing down, and has now fired back at haters on Facebook with several posts defending her photos.
“Roosevelt created five national parks (doubling the previously existing number); signed the landmark Antiquities Act and used its special provisions to unilaterally create 18 national monuments, including the Grand Canyon; set aside 51 federal bird sanctuaries, four national game refuges, and more than 100 million acres’ worth of national forests,” she continued.
“But he was a hunter too, right?”
Jones also made sure to show her appreciation for those who believe that she is being unfairly chastised.
“I just want to THANK all of my supporters for their continued encouragement and backing,” she said. “I will continue to hunt and spread the knowledge of hunting and wildlife conservation.”
Photos were also posted giving facts and bits of information about animals and hunting.
“Tanzania has 15 photo-safari areas, which have been lauded as a non-consumptive alternative to traditional hunting tourism,” a photo said.
Quoting National Geographic, Jones added, “Without the financial resources provided by hunters to protect habitat and stop poachers, there would be no infrastructure for wildlife management.”
Despite the overwhelming amount of criticism, Jones has also been receiving support on social media from people using the hashtag #SupportKendall.
“The BIGGEST threat to our wildlife system is the people who don’t understand how it works #SupportKendall,” one user tweeted.
“No 19 year old girl deserves death threats ever! Especially for doing what she loves! #SupportKendall,” another tweeted.
One user adds, “Hunters are the only ones doing anything for conservation and some people are too dumb to see it #SupportKendall.”
Jones has always maintained that her hunts involve a “fair chase” and says that they take place in areas where animal populations sometimes have to be controlled.
“In 1900, there were less than 50 White Rhinos remaining in the entire world,” her photo states. “Rhino conservation efforts were driven by South Africa, which has developed a vibrant trophy hunting market for wildlife within the last 50 years.”
The photo says that there are now more than 20,000 white rhinos alive today around the globe.
“While all of the ANTI hunters were hiding behind a computer writing repulsive comments and issuing death threats to me, well I was out doing a White Rhino Green Hunt,” she said in a photo caption for a rhino hunt. “Again, doing my part in conservation to make a difference.”
As of Thursday, most of the pictures — showing Jones gleefully striking poses next to the downed animals including a lion, rhino, antelope, buffalo, leopard, elephant, zebra and hippopotamus — had been removed.
But people may soon get the chance to take a closer look into the life of the teenage huntress.
Jones has publicly said that she hopes to host her own TV show next year focusing on her hunting expeditions.