Ricky Gervais offers Ł40k to 'knock teeth out of' German hunter who shot dead Africa's biggest elephant
16:15, 16 OCT 2015 UPDATED 12:15, 19 OCT 2015
BY ANNA DUBUIS

After the revelation that an anonymous hunter paid Ł40,000 to kill the elephant in Zimbabwe, Gervais asked: "Can I pay 40k to knock Germany's biggest t**t's teeth out?"

Killer: A hunter poses with his kill - a large bull thought to be the largest elephant hunted in Africa
Ricky Gervais has added his voice to the global outrage after an elephant thought to be the biggest in Africa was shot dead by a German hunter.

After the revelation that the anonymous hunter paid Ł40,000 to kill the elephant in Zimbabwe, Gervais tweeted: "Can I pay 40k to knock Germany's biggest t**t's teeth out?"

The comedian, who is outspoken on animal rights, is among thousands who have condemned the cruel killing after the hunter posed for a photo next to the huge elephant.

Conservationists said the elephants tusks, which weigh 60 pounds each, were so large they dragged along the ground.

The hunter had paid $60,000 for a hunting permit to shoot the animal in Gonarezhou National Park on October 8.

Mystery: It isn't clear where the huge elephant originated from
He was accompanied by an experienced guide who was said to be renowned among the hunting community for finding his clients large elephants, according to the Telegraph.

The death of the elephant comes just three months after the shooting of Cecil the lion - Zimbabwe's most famous big cat.

Unlike Cecil, the origins of the elephant, estimated to have been between 40 and 60 years old, were not known.

It had never been seen before in Gonarezhou and it was speculated it had come over from South Africa's Kruger Park.

But Kruger spokesman William Mbasa refuted the idea, saying it would have been impossible for the elephant not to have been seen crossing from one park into the other.

He commented: "The most disappointing thing is that when a local Zimbabwean kills an animal for food for his family, he is sentenced to between 5 and 15 years in prison but when a wealthy foreign hunter comes in and shoots an animal, he gets away with it. What message are we giving the people?"

Ricky Gervais: The twat has slammed the hunter for killing the elephant

Louis Muller, chairman of the Zimbabwe Professional Hunters & Guides Association, said the hunter only realised how large the elephant was once he had been shot.

"He told me when he and his client were stalking this elephant he saw the tusks were big but did not realise just how big until afterwards and he saw them close.

"He is going back to see if he can find the lower jaw and bring it back so we can accurately age this elephant,” he told The Telegraph.

A man who helped arrange the hunt defended his client saying: “This was a legal hunt and the client did nothing wrong.

"We hunters have thick skins and we know what the greenies will say."

It emerged this week that Walter Palmer, the American dentist who shot dead Cecil the lion, will not face charges, because authorities say he had legal authority to hunt the animal.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ricky-gervais-offers-40k-knock-6646599