Ex-NFL star Jay Cutler sparked outrage after posting photos on Instagram of an endangered animal that he’d killed.
The photos show a smiling Cutler crouching over a dead giant sable antelope — a massive hoofed mammal known for its large, curved horns.
“Kicked off the Africa hunt with a beauty. Sable down,” the first post reads.
Another post included a video montage of the hunt and Cutler shooting the animal.
Cutler uploaded more pictures of a seemingly dead antelope on Monday with the caption “Another great day.”
While some commenters congratulated Cutler, and noted the meat from the animals tends to be donated to locals, the trophy hunting got some criticism too.
“Wow, Jay you killed a wild animal in a place it’s rarely hunted and it had zero idea you were a threat,” one Instagram user commented on the first post. “Super impressive.”
“I went to Africa on a safari and saw the most incredible wildlife and never once thought about murdering them,” another wrote.
The giant sable antelope, which is considered critically endangered and nearly extinct, was considered “rare and impressive animal” in its native Angola, according to the Carnegie Museum of Natural history.
“Never numerous, today the Giant Sable is critically endangered, threatened by habitat loss, civil war, and poachers. Active conservation efforts continue, but population estimates indicate there are less than a hundred mature individuals,” the museum’s website reads.
However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ Red List, which tracks species, classifies the giant sable antelope as “stable” overall.
While Cutler’s hunting appears perfectly legal, he’s run into trouble in the past.
He was arrested for DUI and gun possession in Tennessee last October.
Cutler, 42, played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins.
