Juan Carlos, the king of prats?

[sandyRoe]

His country is in dire economic straits yet he can still go on safari to kill elephants.
http://www.channel4.c...ay-as-spain-struggles

[bookbinder]

There's always one rule for them, one rule for the rest.

[Outtheway]

I heard this on the radio yesterday and was somewhat gob-smacked! I thought it was illeagal to hunt elephants? and to top it all he is an elected member representative of the world wildlife trust (or some other similar title/position) surely his Country and its people are more important than a safari?

[albaqwerty]

I believe it was paid for by his host. I also heard that the Spanish were not best pleased, and this from a nation who love Bull-fighting.....

[chaptazbru]

A***hole !!!

[jno]

Botswana is a bit over-elephanted, so it allows to shoot them, for a fat fee. JC has thus given a little boost to the Botswana economy. The same can hardly be said of our own dear fox-hunters.

[Outtheway]

lets face it, as a target you can hardly miss an elephant! so wheres the skill/thrill? when theres none left to shoot what money spinner will Botswana come up with shooting Hippos £100 a time or firing at Baobab trees that can't run way?

[Outtheway]

... according to the San Francisco chronicle it allegedly costs around $65,000 to shoot an elephant in Botswana, oh and by the way JC is the honourary president of the World Wildlife Trust (Spain)!

[chaptazbru]

Like I said above A***hole !!!

[emmie]

what an arse, someone should tell him they are protected, and if they are in abundance in Botswana, move some to another game reserve.

[chaptazbru]

Well said em, but you said 'arse', I thought if I typed that another word would be used !!

[flip_flop]

Given the Spanish enjoy killing bulls for fun and throwing donkeys off buildings, I wouldn't imagine the odd jumbo will cause them too much concern.

[emmie]

when will these idiots get the message, stop killing wildlife, for fun, so called sport, or to cull. If one place can accommodate these wonderful creatures then move them. I saw a horrendous photo the other day of butchered elephants, tusks taken by poachers, i could weep blood when i see such creatures destroyed.

[jno]

"moving them to some other game reserve" sounds so simple... but it's hugely expensive, and stressful to the animals. You can't just tell them "Walk east for 1000 miles till you hit Kenya." You may well think they wouldn't much enjoy being shot. But the alternative is they run out of teeth (they get through about six sets), can no longer eat, and starve, and that isn't nice either. I suspect I'd prefer a quick death myself.

[chaptazbru]

That's the first time I've ever heard that about elephants teeth !

[emmie]

jno, i am aware of that, but for heaven sake, someone should do something, not just let bstards take pot shots at them, or poachers rip their trunks out for the ivory. Besides what makes you think that these animals would have to walk to another country. There are loads of animal charities, couldn't they organise movement by road, we have all seen documentaries where they move creatures by truck to another place, for all sorts of reasons, to restock herds, so why not there.

[jno]

you really need to move the whole herd at once

http://www.andrews-el...ion-of-elephants.html

Not easy!

[ladybirder]

The fact JC broke his hip whilst there doesn't help much does it? Hope it hurts like hell. Cretinous idiot.

[emmie]

perhaps someone should take a pot shot at him, see how he likes it.

[boxtops]

It's even more ironic since he's a big noise in the World Wildlife Trust, I bet they'll boot him off now.

[jno]

kings have been culled before.