A couple shamelessly kissed for a photo as they knelt behind a lion they have just killed in South Africa.

Carolyn and Darren Carter from Edmonton, Alberta were taking part in a tour when they killed the magnificent lion.

Legelela Safaris, the tour operator, regularly shares photos of dead animals next to proud hunters, usually smiling as they show off their weapons.

Below the kissing picture, they wrote on Facebook: “Hard work in the hot Kalahari sun…well done. A monster lion.”

Other images show the same couple next to another dead animal. They wrote: “There is nothing like hunting the king of the jungle in the sands of the Kalahari.

“Well done to the happy huntress and the team…”

The two have described themselves as ‘passionate conservationists’ even though they were taking part in hunts.

Mr. Carter said to the Mirror: “We aren’t interested in commenting on that at all. It’s too political.”

The founder of the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, Eduardo Goncalves, believes the lions were captive and bred so they could be killed by hunters.

“It looks as though this lion was a tame animal killed in an enclosure, bred for the sole purpose of being the subject of a smug selfie,” he said.

“This couple should be utterly ashamed of themselves, not showing off and snogging for the cameras.”

Legelela Safaris charges £2,000 for zebra and £2,400 for giraffe hunts. They also offer rhino, elephant and leopard hunts.

One internet user commented: “Sport hunting is an anachronic practice that only brings the worst of human race in light of nowadays environmental consciousness.”

Another wrote: “Such a shame for humanity itself.”

A third said: “I will never, ever understand what possible pleasure anyone can get from doing such a thing !!”

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