A SCHOOLGIRL who shoots dead Africa's majestic wildlife for fun insists she will carry on despite a barrage of online abuse.
Aryanna Gourdin, 12, from Utah, was blasted on social media after images of her proudly posing with wild animals she had slaughtered on an African safari went viral.
But despite being labelled a "murderer", the youngster is more determined than ever to continue her sick hobby.
The angelic-looking girl, who went on the hunting trip with her dad Eli, said she does not regret killing the huge giraffe, a zebra and a wildebeest on the holiday despite being called a ‘murderer’ by angry online users.
While speaking with Good Morning America, determined Aryanna said she will never give up the sport she loves.
She said: “It's something I cherish and enjoy and I want other people to see what I experienced.
“I would never back down from hunting. I am a hunter and no matter what people say to me, I'm never going to stop."
Dad Eli told the show that the giraffe which his daughter killed was a “problem” animal in the area and was “eating up valuable resources other giraffes need to survive.”
related stories
'SHOCKED AND APPALLED' Man with Huntington's disease turned away from bar because bouncers thought he was drunk
Cops hunting mystery killer of nurse bludgeoned to death 40 years ago have a full DNA match of suspect
Police hunting Asian driver who 'racially abused a woman crossing the road too slowly'
We hunt for world's healthiest breakfast ahead of Olympics – which country wins gold?
He claimed that the meat from the tragic beast fed 800 orphans in a local village in South Africa.
The protective father added: “I don't tell anybody else how to raise their children.
“We’re proud to be hunters and we'll never apologise for being a hunter.”
But animal conservationists blasted the bloodthirsty child.
Masha Kalinina of the Humane Society International said: "When we allow children to participate in trophy hunting, instead of teaching them to respect creatures we are teaching them that it’s okay to kill for kicks and that animals are worth more dead than alive.
“Trophy hunting is cruel and does nothing to support conservation in Africa.
“Humanity and compassion is the kindest example we can set for the next generation."
And she has received a torrent of abuse on Facebook.
On user wrote: "This disgusts me. ‘Why’? Because being proud of a kill is one thing, but this is like a photoshoot and to me it’s not about killing for ‘sport’ and I don’t see a giraffe being something you should kill.
“There is a difference in killing a deer to feed your family and harvest the pelt and antlers than killing a giraffe and taking pictures of you holding its heart. That isn’t right at all.”
Another said: "A normal dad would not take his daughter to Africa to kill an animal for fun. You’ll argue hunting is what man has always done to justify your actions.
"Man used to think slavery was OK, too.”
Aryanna, who has been hunting since she was seven, called the trip to South Africa “one of my dream hunts for sure.”
The young girl’s gruesome pictures of her kills have led to an avalanche of online hate including death threats.
One poster wrote: “literally hope someone skins you," while another added: “makes me wanna kill her".
Another angry poster said: “Do the world a favor and kill yourself already before someone else makes you disappear.”
Many users have suggested that the schoolgirl’s actions are thoughtless.
One user posted: “Thanks for reminding me that stupid people still exist.
“Please consider using that thing in your head next time, that what we call A BRAIN.”
Source: Read Full Article