Angry response to Trade Me auction for giraffe rug

The Kaiapoi-based seller had a start price of $5500, with a buy now of $7000, for the rug, which they said incorporated the tail and four legs. Photo / Trade Me

A Trade Me auction for a "genuine giraffe rug hunted in Africa" has been taken down a week early - but not before sparking an angry response from some.

The Kaiapoi-based seller had a start price of $5500, with a buy now of $7000, for the rug, which they said incorporated the tail and four legs.

"Professional tanned and stunning. No holes apart from bullet hole," the seller, who said they were selling the rug because it was too big for their house, wrote.

There were no photos of the rug as it was in storage, but the seller posted a photo of a smiling man posing with the dead giraffe.

Others weren't smiling.

"You are a worthless human,", wrote one person in the Q & A section, prompting the seller to reply with a link to a YouTube video showing "New Zealand Hunting 100 Killshots in Under 10 Minutes!" and to say that it was "what we do for a living".

Another poster asked, "What did the giraffe do to you?

The seller responded that the giraffe had done nothing to them.

"But they are surprisingly tasty."

A third person wrote that a "real man" would take on a lion with a spear like a Zulu warrior, not a shoot a "herbivore while it's grazing".

"Then you deserve to pat your self on the back and call your self a MAN."

The seller was unrepentant.

"Nah I don't need another lion rug. One is enough."

The auction was due to end on Friday next week, but was withdrawn - with no sale - this afternoon.