Death Threats Rattle Man Who Bid $350K on Rhino Hunt

The hunter becomes the...you get the idea

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Carl de Souza / AFP / Getty Images

A Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) vet readies himself to shoot a tranquilizer dart from a helicopter at a wild female black rhino named Tupac at Lewa Wildlife conservancy on August 27, 2013.

The hunter who bid $350,000 to shoot an endangered species of rhino now worries that he is the one in the cross hairs, and with good reason.

“I will KILL you,” read one comment on Corey Knowlton’s Facebook page, ever since he was outed as the winning bidder. Knowlton, 35, told CNN that a torrent of online abuse has left him fearing for his family’s safety.

The animal in question is older, male and nonbreeding — and likely targeted for slaying after becoming aggressive. Knowlton said that the proceeds from his bid will go to the conservation of the world’s remaining population of roughly 5,000 black rhinos.

[CNN]