MORE than 80 people took to Eumundi’s main road on Saturday 3 October to protest against the hunting of exotic and at-risk animals throughout the world.
Held as part of the Global March for Elephants, Rhinos and Lions, the protest group walked Eumundi’s streets with a motorbike escort through the township.
Event organiser Marie-Louise Sarjeant said the group was supported by clapping and cheering from locals and visitors at the Eumundi Markets, which are held every Saturday.
“It was wonderful to see passionate children join in enthusiastically and canine support too,” Marie-Louise said.
“All over the world, cities took part, and all the Australian cities joined in and Eumundi was put on this global map. We are proud to do this and many wonderful passionate people came to support these poor animals.
“It makes me cry with such angry emotions of frustration the cruelty of canned lion hunting. We must get South Africa to ban it, condemn it and stop it.”
Marie-Louise said the hunting of animals such as lions and elephants is “brutal” and should be banned.
“The killing of elephants has reached epidemic proportions,” she said.
“To put this into perspective, every time London’s Big Ben chimes, an elephant is dead and one rhino is killed every nine hours.”
Marie-Louise said there was some good news in the fight against animal cruelty.
“Australia bans any body parts from elephants and rhinos from being imported into this country, but they need to extend this to lion body parts,” she said.
“There are also Australian trophy hunters tourists who go to kill these canned lions.”
To find out more, visit www.march4elephantsandrhinos.org.
