A big game hunter who sparked worldwide outrage when he posed next to a lion he had killed has reportedly slipped and died on a hunting trip.
According to several news reports, Italian veterinarian Luciano Ponzetto, 55, died after falling down a ravine while hunting birds in an area in Valprato Soana, north of Turin in Italy.
Ponzetto was bombarded with hate mail and death threats after he posted the photos of him with the lion and other African animals on social media last year.
Throughout the furore the vet maintained he had done nothing wrong but the media storm forced him to step down for his role as the medical director of a kennel business.
Officials say the avid hunter was out with friends when he lost his footing on some ice and slipped down a ravine at Colle delle Oche. His body was discovered after about an hour and a half of searching but it’s believed Ponzetto died instantly.
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