Ricky Gervais has described trophy hunting as “sickening” and “senseless,” claiming that the practice of killing animals for sport shows “humanity at its very worst.”
The comedian, 59, is an advocate for animal rights and is a supporter of the Campaign To Ban Trophy Hunting.
His comments came on the fifth anniversary of the death of Cecil, the lion who was shot by a US dentist in Zimbabwe in 2015.
Cecil was a protected animal who had been the subject of a lengthy study by Oxford University.
“Why are we even having to make the case for banning trophy hunting in the year 2020?” Gervais said.
“It’s hard to think of anything more sickening or senseless than killing an animal for entertainment, then hacking it up so you can display its body parts and brag about it.
Cecil the Lion was killed by a trophy hunter in 2015 (Andy Loveridge/Wildlife Conservation Research Unit via AP)
“Trophy hunting is humanity at its very worst. We’ve had five years to do something since the killing of Cecil made everyone aware of what is going on.”
A 2014 study estimated that lions could become extinct outside of captivity by 2050 if poaching and loss of their habitats continues at the current rate.
It is thought that around 6,000 lions have been killed by hunters since 2015.
In February, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated his promise, which first appeared in the Conservative manifesto last year, to ban the import of hunting trophies into the UK, however legislation is yet to be put in place.
