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Zlatan Ibrahimovic killed a lion in South Africa?
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 06.04.21. | 18:02
Milan forward accused of killing the lion and importing its skin, skull and jaw to his homeland
Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been accused of shooting a lion in South Africa and then importing its skin, skull and jaw to his homeland. According to Swedish „Expressen“, Zlatan gained a hunting license and, less than a year after, shot and killed the male lion in South Africa in 2011.
Expressen examined a total of 82 hunters from Sweden who have looked to take home a trophy. They claim from a source that the lion shot by Ibrahimovic spent over a year in an enclosure before it was released - elements of its carcass were reportedly then shipped back to his Malmo home. The Swedish international was reached for a comment, but hasn’t repled (yet).
Svenska kändisarna skjuter och importerar hotade arter – Expressen granskar jaktresor • Här är huset Kinesiska muren i Malmö, där ingen vill bo • 25-årige Noah Green har pekats ut som misstänkt för att ha kört på två polismän vid Kapitolium https://t.co/hbYUNwkJqT
— Expressen (@Expressen) April 3, 2021
Ibrahimovic also has a big tattoo of a roaring lion etched across his back. Those who carry out trophy hunting are said to choose top category animals, such as a lion, when heading to safaris. According to Four paws international, many international hunters travel to South Africa and region to participate in 'trophy hunting', from which hunters bring home dead animals as trophies to display on their walls and shelves as souvenirs. Nearly all wild species are available for trophy hunting – even threatened species such as African lions and elephants – it is just a question of money.
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From 2008-2018, South Africa exported on average per year over a 1000 lion hunting trophies with most of the trophies originating from captive bred lions. Captive breeding also facilitates rarities, such as white lions and white tigers, which are more valuable and on high demand from trophy hunters. The top 5 countries where South Africa reported to export to, are the USA, Spain, Russia, Canada and China. Lion has been officially classified as 'vulnerable' by the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
