AN American big game hunter has caused outrage for slaughtering a rare black giraffe during a South Africa hunting trip.

Tess Thompson Talley posted photos of herself posing with the slain creature online about a year ago.

3 Tess Thompson Talley poses next to the slain rare giraffe Credit: Twitter / AfricaDigest

But last month they were picked up by African news outlet Africa Digest, sparking a firestorm on social media.

The photos show Talley, from Kentucky, standing proudly next to a dead giraffe bull.

Her caption read: "Prayers for my once in a lifetime dream hunt came true today! Spotted this rare black giraffe bull and stalked him for quite a while. I knew it was the one.

"He was over 18 years old, 4000lbs and was blessed to be able to get 2000lbs of meat from him.”

3 The photos of her posing with the slaughtered beast have caused outrage Credit: Twitter / AfricaDigest

Hundreds of people have now responded to African Digest's tweet highlighting Talley's original post.

One wrote: "A very sad example of a person who lives for the thrill of the moment, and who has a dreadful sense of entitlement to kill for her own pleasure.

"There are no words to describe how terrible is the deed you have committed."

Another said: "I can’t imagine killing anything, let alone a defenceless animal who can’t shoot you back you ignorant.

3 Cecil (pictured) was slaughtered by a US hunter in 2015 Credit: AP:Associated Press

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"What a sad state of affairs when human beings can actually do this. Shame on everyone and anyone who defends this type of behaviour."

When contacted by Fox News, Talley, from Kentucky, defended the controversial hunt.

She said: "The giraffe I hunted was the South African sub-species of giraffe.

"The numbers of this sub-species is actually increasing due, in part, to hunters and conservation efforts paid for in large part by big game hunting.

"The breed is not rare in any way other than it was very old. Giraffes get darker with age.

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"I get that hunting is not for everyone; that’s what makes this world great is the differences.

"But to make threats to anyone because they don’t believe the way you do is completely unacceptable.

"If it was any other belief that was different, threats and insults would be deemed hideous.

"However, for some reason it is OK to act this way because it’s hunting."

In 2015, Minnesota dentist Walter Palmer was the focus of international fury after killing the well-known and loved "Cecil the lion" in Zimbabwe.

AFRICA BIG GAME HUNTING Big game hunting is permitted in most African nations because governments say the revenue it generates helps fund their conservation efforts. Wealthy hunters, mostly from America, pay up to £60,000 to track and kill a fully grown elephant. Other animals popular with trophy hunters are lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos and deer. Every hunter must purchase a license that allows them to hunt. A license for an elephant, for example, is more costly than that for a lion. However, some nations completely outlaw the practice. Botswana, for example, argues that it can become an exclusive tourist destination that brings in more cash than it loses from the hunting ban.

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