Ricky Gervais and Lorraine Kelly have been among those sharing their disgust over hunters who brutally cut off a rhino's horn.
Heartbreaking photos released earlier this week show a rhino, which appeared to have tears running down its face after its horn hacked off by poachers in South Africa.
The photos show an open wound on the rhino's head and are understood to have been taken whilst the animal was in recovery at the charity Saving the Survivor's reserve - which aims to save animals that have fallen victim to poaching or traumatic incidents.
Simon Needham, who photographed the rhino, told the Daily Mail: "Poachers butchered the rhino's horns and removed parts of the bone in his skull as well.
"The owners of the game reserve left him for dead for two weeks as he wasn't worth a bullet to put him down, not without his horns."
He said that the police noticed the injured rhino and called Saving the Survivors. The creature's owners are said to have handed him over as he was deemed "worthless."
The horrific story has prompted outrage since the pictures were published earlier this week, including from celebrities such as Ricky Gervais.
The comedian - who has long been an advocate for animal rights - wrote on Twitter : "Devastating. I go from wanting to cry, to wanting to fucking batter the c***s who did this."
Responding to his post on social media, ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly wrote: "Utter utter b******s."
In response to Ricky's post, the charity Saving the Survivors tweeted: "Thank you for your passion @rickygervais and for sharing this story of our work.
"Sadly Seha is just one of the many rhinos we have treated, however, many like Seha are saved from their injuries by our vets."
In a follow-up tweet, the charity added: "Seha has been under our care for 5 years now and has even fathered a son since his poaching attack!"
It comes after it was reported last week that Ricky - best known for The Office and Afterlife - had called for a ban on the importing of hunt trophies.
Similarly to the images of the rhino, a photo of a polar bear reportedly killed by hunters in Canada prompted backlash and is being used by anti-hunt campaigners.
