A French couple have been forced to sell their supermarket franchise after pictures of them hunting big game in Africa surfaced online, causing outrage.
Jacques Alboud and wife Martine, who owned a Super U franchise inL’Arbresle, near Lyons, were pictured in Tanzania years ago standing above the corpses of lions, leopards, buffalo and hippos they had shot.
The images appear to have been available on social networks since they were taken, but only began circulating in France this week, prompting people to call for a boycott of their store and send them death threats.
Even the Super U parent company spoke out against their activities, saying the behaviour was ‘in total opposition with the values defended by us.
‘We condemn them even if they are private activities,’ a spokesman added.
The Super U group has officially committed to work towards ‘a better respect for aquatic and terrestrial resources’ around the world.
On Tuesday, Super U announced that Jacques and Martine would leave the business with ‘immediate effect.’
‘Totally opposed to private hunting safari activities by associates, Super U announces that they will leave with immediate effect.
‘Measures to support their employees and take over their stores are put in place,’ a spokesman added.
Contacted by French media, the couple have decline to comment.
However, a testimonial by Martine Aboud posted on the Safari organiser’s website says: ‘Thanks to Pierré van Tonder for his welcome and the perfect flawless organisation of our safari in the wild bush of the Selous.
‘Thanks to Clinton for his passion and his patience which allowed me to have such a successful, beautiful and fun safari, with top leopard and top crocodile!
‘We will be back with Pierré and Clinton van Tonder!’
Pierre van Tonder Big Game Safaris offers a variety of hunting packages starting at $17,000 per person and going up to $43,000.
Individual trophy prices include $3,000 for a buffalo, $1,200 for a hartebeest.
A leopard kill will cost the shooter more than $7,000, while hippos retail for $3,400 and crocodiles for $3,800.
It is not known which hunting package the Albouds bought, but they are pictured posing with corpses of all the animals listed above.
Big game hunting in Africa is a highly controversial topic, with animal activists arguing that the sport is cruel and devastating to wildlife.
However, pro-hunting groups say their work – and particularly the money it draws in – provides a vital contribution to conserving threatened African species.
This article was first published by The Mail Online on 11 July 2019.
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