GoDaddy CEO Posts Video of His Vacation Hunting Elephants in Zimbabwe1

by Alana Joy

The CEO of GoDaddy, Bob Parsons, has posted a video of his vacation in Zimbabwe online. Normally not something that would cause controversy, it’s the slaughter of an innocent elephant being glorified that has the internet in an uproar. The video opens with “For the second year in a row, I spent ten days hunting problem elephant in Zimbabwe.”

The video below contains scenes of graphic violence against animals. Viewer discretion is advised.

Parsons, accompanied by local tour guides, shows where crops have been trampled by these “problem elephant” on his self-proclaimed “humanitarian” expedition. “Many die each year from starvation and one of the problems they have is the elephants, of which there are thousands and thousands, that trash many of their fields destroying the crops. Of everything I do this is the most rewarding. This video shows one typical night and day.” This is how he rationalizes what comes next…

Parsons and his team take cover in the brush awaiting nightfall, hoping the “problem” creatures return. Three elephants arrive late into the night, two of which manage to escape. Bob Parsons fires, then fires again, describing the shots as “hitting home”. Next we see multiple photos of Parsons with a satisfied smile on his face, leaning against the body of the dead creature, rifle digging into it’s head.

“Early the next morning, hungry villages butcher the elephant.” is the next title that appears, as we fade into the horrific sight of the animal being ripped to shreds and ACDC’s “Hell’s Bells” plays as the soundtrack. “Mayhem” then ensues as villagers turn desperate, foraging for their share of the meat, attacking the carcass en masse.

PETA has closed their account with GoDaddy and “urges everyone to follow suit”. A quote from their post:

It has been well established that elephants are capable of experiencing emotions, including joy, anger, grief, and sympathy. They play with each other and can reason and use tools; they have exceptional memories and form enduring bonds with other elephants. They work together and comfort and protect each other. Elephant offspring stay with their mothers for many years—males for up to 15 years and females for their entire lives. Killing a single elephant can devastate a family, and their mourning ritual over the death of a family member rivals any that we humans have developed.

Parsons is hiding behind the lame claim that killing elephants helps farmers in Africa whose crops are damaged by the animals. In fact, there are ample effective and nonlethal methods to deter elephants from crops, including using chili-infused string and beehives on poles to create low-cost “fences.” Instead of coming up with flimsy excuses for killing these highly intelligent and social animals, Parsons should use his wealth to fund humane solutions to human/elephant conflicts.

Parsons tells the LA Times, “I’m not ashamed of what I did. All these people that are complaining that this shouldn’t happen, that these people who are starving to death otherwise shouldn’t eat these elephants, you probably see them driving through at McDonald’s or cutting a steak.”

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