Globally circulating photos of Nick Haridemos, an Australian businessman from Canberra, obnoxiously posing with a dead baboon have both the public and animal rights groups around the world outraged.
The photos, posted on image hosting sites such as Photobucket and African hunting forums, show Haridemos also posing with the dead bodies of elephants and warthogs. The pictures are not recent, with some reports dating them between 2010 and 2016.
The photo of Nick posing with the Baboon seated behind the wheel of a jeep, wearing sunglasses and a cap, has been dated from a 2010 hunting trip in Zimbabwe.
The caption attached to the image reads, “Absolutely funny as hell!”
Unsurprisingly, most people have disagreed with the sentiment.
Story continues after photos.
Nick Haridemos on safari
Photo credit: Afrian Hunting.biz
Nick Haridemos on safari
Photo credit: Afrian Hunting.biz
Nick Haridemos is vice president of the Hellenic Club in Canberra and there have been calls for him to removed from his position following the negative attention his hunting habits have drawn online.
His lawyer has made a statement on behalf of Haridemos, stressing that all of these hunting trips were legal conservation hunting trips.
“This is a regulated activity, which is undertaken in accordance with licences and quotas issued by the relevant country, and is conducted in a manner that does not pose a threat to any endangered species,” he told The Canberra Times.
The Hellenic club’s social media pages have been inundated with complaints about Haridemos.
“I’m really sadden to hear about Nick Haridemos the Vice President and the vile manner he treats animals,” One comment began.
“Bragging about killing some of the earths most amazing creatures in the most sickening way. I truly enjoy coming to the Hellenic Club and having dinner unfortunately my family and I will no longer be doing that. I will be encouraging all my friends to do the same until Nick Haridemos is no longer the Vice President,” they concluded.
“This would not be acceptable in Canberra if it was a Koala or a Wombat – why should we accept it happening in a third world country? Members of the Hellenic community please make a stand and don’t have this be your representation,” read another.
The club have not yet released a comment.
