This is the only known British trophy hunter to boast of killing Africa’s endangered “Big Five” animals – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and buffalos.

Carl Knight, 45, runs a safari hunting business from his home in South Africa. carl@takeaimsafaris.com

Campaigners believe he is also the sole British-born person to complete the “Dangerous Seven” list, which adds crocodiles and hippos to the Big Five.

Ahead of a parliamentary event today calling for new laws against the industry, the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting said the likes of Knight were “driving endangered species to the brink”.

It said in the face of an “extinction crisis” killing animals for fun was “one of the last social evils”.

Surrey-born Knight, who named his eldest son Hunter, insists that by shooting animals for sport, he and rich clients are helping save at-risk species.