Ricky Gervais Takes A Shot At Giraffe Hunters, Sets Off 'Firestorm' On Twitter

FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2014 file photo, actor Ricky Gervais poses for photographers upon arrival for the premiere of the film "Night at the Museum, Secret of the Tomb" in London. Netflix has acquired a feature film written and directed by Ricky Gervais to debut next year, adding to the streaming serviceâs growing roster of original films. The deal was announced Monday, April 6, 2015. In the satirical comedy, titled âSpecial Correspondents,â Eric Bana plays a struggling radio journalist who files fake war reports from New York. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP, File)

British comedian and animal welfare crusader Ricky Gervais is standing up for giraffes on Twitter by publicly shaming people who hunt them.

Gervais took to Twitter this week and posted the following messages:

Well done. You managed to shoot a stationery, 14 foot peaceful creature with a high velocity rifle. Very sporting. pic.twitter.com/Xuz7F5A3YT

"Ricky Gervais used his power and influence to set off a firestorm against women in the hunting industry," Francis told The Huffington Post.

Francis said everyone's free to think what they want about hunting. But, in her words, "the issue has has gone from a discussion about the legal act of hunting to the illegal and immoral acts of death threats against me and my family."

There are about 80,000 giraffes left in the wild, a wildlife researcher and scientist recently told ABC News. The numbers have dropped 40 percent over the past 15 years, and some subspecies are considered endangered.

Ricky Gervais Takes A Shot At Giraffe Hunters, Sets Off 'Firestorm' On Twitter

Giraffes On A Boat

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In this photo taken Feb. 7, 2011 and released by the Northern Rangelands Trust, endangered Rothschilds giraffe are seen aboard a barge to cross Kenya's Lake Baringo. Eight endangered Rothschilds giraffes were ferried by barge to a reserve on an island in Kenya's Lake Baringo earlier this week. (AP Photo/Northern Rangelands Trust)