A big game hunter who posed with the dead bodies of wild animals has been hired to be a government conservationist in Australia.
Jewell Crossberg was recently made acting district manager of the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions in Esperance, which is om the south coast of the state.
But calls have been made for him to resign after the 2010 Facebook album titled 'business and pleasure' emerged, with locals calling his appointment a 'disappointment'.
In the album, photos were seen of the trophy hunter posing with animals he had shot and killed at a game reserve in South Africa.
Advert
In one of the images, Mr Crossberg was seen kneeling down next to the dead body of a giraffe, holding its lifeless head up while he posed with the rifle in his other hand.
Another of them shows him stood proudly beside a dead elephant. A different picture shows him holding the head of a dead zebra up after resting his rifle up on the animals torso.
He can also be seen standing behind a rhinoceros with another man, grinning, after bizarrely resting a gun up against the animals face.
Since it started to ciruclate on social media, the photos have sparked outrage among residents, who have started a petition for him to be sacked from the conservation department.
Advert
In his role, Crossberg is responsible for wildlife and natural assets in the district, but locals have called it a 'disappointment'.
An online petition reads: "A man for sees [sic] no issue with hunting endangered and threatened species should not be in a role protecting Australia's native flora and fauna, as he clearly lacks the judgement to do so, despite the photos being taken at a South African Hunting lodge, where such hunts are legal."
On the petition, a letter is also quoted from Esperance citizens, which call for action to be taken against Crossberg.
The letter reads: "We the citizens of Esperance are very concerned about the recent appointment of Jewell Crossberg."
Advert
"We think the director Jason Foster has made a very bad judgement call
"We are so disappointed to see Mr Crossberg is not a true conservationist and shouldn't be in a position of this standing."
In a statement, the state department said: "The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions is committed to wildlife conservation and ensuring world's best animal welfare practices.
Advert
"Jewell Crossberg went through a competitive recruitment process and demonstrated he had the appropriate skills for the acting district manager role."
Since the photos emerged, Mr Crossberg has deleted his Facebook page.
Featured Image Credit: Facebook