14 DAY TRIAL // Poachers did it again. They managed to kill one of the most representative animals for north Devon area. The authorities have recently announced the death of a stag named the Goodleight Giant, after the creature didn't manage to survive the poachers' attack.
It seems that local people knew what they were doing when they decided to keep the stag's presence secret. The 200lb creature had a lot of potential and was considered a beauty due to its 19 points antlers, a unique feature for an animal of his age.
The Goodleight Giant was already famous, and the community members' feared that its popularity is going to hasten its death, which was really the case in this story.
The event took place exactly a year after the 300lb 9ft Exmoor Emperor was killed. It represented the country's largest wild animal.
Such a creature values thousands of pounds on the black market, and in times of economical crisis, many individuals might consider animal cruelty nothing but a trifle.
Officials named this event “unnecessary” and “reprehensible.” If actions and regulation would pass beyond the naming phase, maybe the black market wouldn't be such a significant source of profit. The fines and public humiliation don't seem to make poachers stop, we are still waiting for effective solutions to this problem.