The Dallas Safari Club is hoping to raise more than £120,000 ($200,000) to help save the endangered black rhinoceros species by auctioning off the right to shoot and kill a black rhino in Africa.
The auction has attracted enormous amounts of criticism from animal protection groups and protesters – to the extent that earlier this week the FBI said it was investigating death threats against members of the club.
Ben Carter, executive director of the Safari Club, defended the auction. He said all money raised will go toward rhino conservation efforts.
The rhino that will be hunted is old, male and non-breeding and would be likely to be targeted for removal anyway due to aggressive behaviour, according to Mr Carter.
“In most cases, this animal