http://www.typicallyspanish.co.../article_34361.shtml



King Juan Carlos breaks a hip hunting elephants in Botswana

By h.b. - Apr 14, 2012 - 12:00 PM
The Monarch was rushed back to Madrid for an operation on Friday night


King Juan Carlos was admitted to the USP San José Hospital in Madrid on Friday night after returning from a private hunting trip in Botswuana where he suffered a fall.

He returned to Madrid in a private plane, in which he travelled sedated.

His right femur is reported to have been broken in three places. A statement from the palace says an emergency operation has carried out to reconstruct the fragments of the bone, and use a prosthesis. Radio Nacional reports the operation was a success. It was carried out by the same surgeon, Ángel Villamor, who operated on the King’s knee in June and Achilles tendon in September.

The King is expected to remain in hospital for four or five days. He is on painkillers. The Queen is in Greece and will not return to Spain until Monday, and the King’s official engagements will be covered by the Prince of Asturias.

Media report that King Juan Carlos was hunting elephants in Botswana and there are reports that he fell in the residence he was staying in, but this has not been confirmed or denied by the palace.

The Monarch appears on the web page of the safari company, Rann Safaris, who charge some 30,000 € for killing an elephant in Botswana.

The accident became the centre of twitter comments in Spain. A large number of tweets complain about the King hunting in an African country, and there are questions as to whether the trip cost public money. But most of the comments were more sarcastic.
#BorbonDimision – ‘Spain is sinking and the King hunting elephants in Botswana. Surrealist. The broken hip is Karma’.
#UniversoDoppler – ‘The King hunting in Botswana while his homeland dies of hunger. Who says you cannot travel in time?’.
#JaineRubio – ‘The King can do what he wants in his free time. Which is all time, apart from the time it takes to do the New Year message’.

Viva la Espana!

Radio Nacional reports the operation was a success. It was carried out by the same surgeon, Ángel Villamor, who operated on the King’s knee in June and Achilles tendon in September.


Man, the King is rough on his body.

The King would be in his 70's I believe-and still hunting Elephant--an example to us all

SSR

Best wishes to the King and fellow hunter on a full recovery.

A facebook link to see the Kings Elephant taken with Jeff Rann April 2012. Interesting Photo

https://www.facebook.com/#!/ph...25161&type=1&theater

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
Radio Nacional reports the operation was a success. It was carried out by the same surgeon, Ángel Villamor, who operated on the King’s knee in June and Achilles tendon in September.


Man, the King is rough on his body.

You have to hand it to the guy.........

He has hunted around the world and bedded any women that made herself available and never once apologuised for his actions.

Isn't he just a figurehead with no real say in the government? Why are these people bitching? He can't do anything about those problems.

Larry,

He has been the most important king in the last decades. He played an important role when Spain returned to democracy and he has been the only one with enough balls to tell Chavez in his face to shut off his big mouth !!

L

Lorenzo,

YOU GET IT .... HOPE TO MEET YOU SOME DAY.

Anyone know the caliber and make of the King's double rifle?

"You have to hand it to the guy.........He has hunted around the world and bedded any women that made herself available and never once apologuised for his actions."

He gave the opening address at the joint SCI/CIC international hunting conference I attended in Madrid in the 1970s. The "assistant" who accompanied him in his tour of the exhibition hall was gorgeous!

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Isn't he just a figurehead with no real say in the government? Why are these people bitching? He can't do anything about those problems.

In 2011 King Juan Carlos was personally paid 292,752 euros out of the Spanish public purse. The Spanish royal family received 8.4m euros from the public purs in total in 2011.

For a country on the verge of going bust I suppose they feel some what aggreived at his life style.

The British royal family received 35.6m pounds but contributed 190m pounds to the public purse thru the income derived from the Crown Estates.

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:
"You have to hand it to the guy.........He has hunted around the world and bedded any women that made herself available and never once apologuised for his actions."

He gave the opening address at the joint SCI/CIC international hunting conference I attended in Madrid in the 1970s. The "assistant" who accompanied him in his tour of the exhibition hall was gorgeous!

Bill Quimby

The guy has been a renowned womaniser for his entire adult life.

They say women can't resisit a guy in a fancy uniform........

quote:

The guy has been a renowned womaniser for his entire adult life.

My kind of guy.

This is an example of how dangerous a safari can turn out. The KING should bring me on his next hunt....I will be sure for his safety.


dale

Seems like the king isn't immune to criticism for his activities.

Spanish king apologizes...

"Spain's king says he is sorry for having gone on an African elephant-hunting trip during one of his country's worst ever economic crises.

In an unprecedented gesture, the 74-year-old monarch said he was "very sorry. I made a mistake. It won't happen again."

Juan Carlos came under scathing criticism this week after he went on a safari trip to Botswana as Spain writhes in economic crisis.

The trip came to light when the king ended up having to be taken to hospital for hip treatment after having fallen.

The monarch made the apology before leaving hospital in Madrid on Wednesday.

Read more: http://missoulian.com/news/wor...b.html#ixzz1sOeNInYM
"

quote:

Originally posted by Lorenzo:
Larry,

He has been the most important king in the last decades. He played an important role when Spain returned to democracy and he has been the only one with enough balls to tell Chavez in his face to shut off his big mouth !!

L

That comment alone would win him an 'Honorary American Citizenship' (even if he doesn't need it)

quote:

Originally posted by Lorenzo:
Larry,

He has been the most important king in the last decades. He played an important role when Spain returned to democracy and he has been the only one with enough balls to tell Chavez in his face to shut off his big mouth !!

L

Spot on! He, like the British Royals are a bedrock for those to countries. There is something to be said for a thousand years of tradition.

And as per usual it will be the socialist bunny-hugger mob braying like jackasses.

I sailed with him in a regatta in Spain, in the early 80's. He is a great guy.

Interesting hunting history......


http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl...-juan-carlos-hunting

Sorry that he made the apology. No need in my opinion. Others may not agree and that's their prerogative.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana1:
Interesting hunting history......


http://www.guardian.co.uk/worl...-juan-carlos-hunting

Did you see the picture of the 'water' buffalo?

Typical left wing, bunny hugging, Guardian bullsh-t

The press in Spain was contacting agents in the United States looking for information on hunting in Botswana. More specifically, elephant hunting in Botswana and what they knew about the Kings hunt.From what I understand, they give him a hard time. This is apparently because of all the economic problems in Spain.

I do not profess to know all the workings of Spanish politics and/or the monarchy in Spain. However, I thought the King was simply figure head who had no power to alter government actions one way or another. If my understanding is correct, I don't not understand why they give him a hard time.

http://www.reuters.com/article...dUSL6E8FJC2020120419



Royal hunting row puts Africa safaris in cross-hairs

Thu Apr 19, 2012 11:12am EDT

* Elephants far from endangered in Botswana

* Botswana has one elephants for every 14 people

* Elephant hunt can cost $70,000, similar to Everest climb

By Ed Stoddard

JOHANNESBURG, April 19 (Reuters) - If Spain's king had shot an elephant in Botswana during his ill-fated hunting excursion it would have been one of perhaps 150,000 that roam the vast southern African country, so the monarch was hardly contributing to the species' extinction.

But his jaunt has thrown an unflattering spotlight on Africa's elephant hunting industry, which some argue is needed to keep swelling populations contained but critics see as an obscene pastime of the idle rich.

King Juan Carlos hobbled out of a Madrid hospital on Wednesday and apologised for making the elephant-hunting trip - one that caused outrage in a country suffering an economic crisis. The 74-year-old broke his hip and was flown back to Spain for emergency replacement surgery.

He is not reported to have bagged an elephant on this trip but Spanish media circulated a photograph of him in front of a dead elephant that apparently had been posted on a safari website and had been taken in 2006. The photo was later removed from the website.

Similar outrage greeted photos that went viral online of U.S. property magnate Donald Trump's sons with animals, including a Cape buffalo and a leopard, that they shot in Zimbabwe.

Many of the animals legally hunted in Africa as trophies are not highly endangered, or at least not in countries such as Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, where such activities are permitted.

Take Botswana, the world's top diamond producer which is also rich in elephants.

According to a 2007 estimate by the African Elephant Specialist Group for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) - regarded by scientists as the most authoritative - Botswana was home to at least 133,000 elephants but around 150,000 was given as the "probable" figure.

With a human population of 2 million, Botswana has the highest elephant-to-people ratio in Africa, at one for every 14 people.

Conservationists and hunters say their growing numbers are contributing to fewer forests and growing deserts.

"They have to cull them. That is the purpose of allowing people to hunt elephants," said Mike Cameron, a veteran South African professional hunting guide who has led many safaris to Botswana.

In areas around the Chobe National Park in northern Botswana "you can see the total decimation of the forest," he added.

But trophy hunting is putting little dent in Botswana's elephant population. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the treaty that regulates global wildlife trade, Botswana's export quota of trophy tusks has been 800 in recent years, or 400 dead elephants.

Hunting sources say the price of a two-week elephant hunt - including your kill and licence - costs $60,000 to $70,000 and usually excludes things such as charter flights to remote airstrips, so the final price tag can be much higher.

This is comparable to the cost of a guided climb to the summit of Everest, which can range from $35,000 to $100,000. Both bring money and employment to developing countries.

Animal welfare activists and other conservationists take issue with elephant hunting on grounds of cruelty, as the animals are highly intelligent with sophisticated social systems that scientists are still piecing together.

"Behavioural studies in Africa have shown that elephants are seriously impacted by activities such as hunting, culling and poaching, not only at the level of the individual animal, but at the societal level too," said Jason Bell, the elephant programme director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. (Editing by Giles Elgood)

A fairly balanced article.

Use Enough Gun,
Do you suppose his rifle is a "Spanish Best?"
If so, that might keep the Basques on his side of the issue.
Arrieta or Grulla perhaps? I thought someone else made them (DR's) there too, but the name(s) is escaping me.
LM

I think the issue for the King is that even though he is just a figure head, the Royal family is supported by public funds. At the time when unemployment is at 25% and he gave a speech asking public officials to tighten up their belts and he spends twice the average annual income on a hunt, it's not a wise move. If I was a Spaniard, I would be livid as well regardless of how I feel about hunting.

LouM: We'd all like to know!

It is political. No doubt he felt it was necessary in light of the current state of the Spanish economy.

I have followed his career for decades ever since Franco died and the throne was restored. Sounds like a great buy.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Sorry that he made the apology. No need in my opinion. Others may not agree and that's their prerogative.