Texas Tech cheerleader defends exotic animal hunting photos

LUBBOCK, Texas (KGO) -- A Texas Tech cheerleader whose Facebook photos show her posing with rare animals that she's killed says she has no intention of removing the controversial pictures.

Animal rights activists, as well as some others who've seen the photos, have found them to be very disturbing.

Kendall Jones, 19, has turned her profile into a tribute to one of her favorite activities. But she's not just hunting deer and ducks. She has more exotic animals in her crosshairs.

The photos show her posing with a lion, smiling with a cheetah, and a menagerie of endangered species she says she hunted in Africa. Jones calls the pictures a testament to her hunting skills and her dedication to game preservation.

The 19-year-old has fired back at her critics, pointing out that the money she pays for the big game hunts help prevent poaching. She writes, "This is a conservation effort to assure that they never do become extinct."

Animal welfare advocates, however, don't buy it.

"In modern day age, killing an endangered species to save it is just unacceptable," said Jeffrey Flocken, North American Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

An online petition to "Help stop Kendall Jones from hunting in Africa" has more than 74,000 supporters. And another petition "Remove Kendall Jones' page of her killing animals for fun!" has over 7,500 supporters.