Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former independent presidential candidate and environmental lawyer, is facing scrutiny over a series of unusual animal-related incidents. The most recent controversy involves an alleged incident where Kennedy reportedly sawed off a whale's head and transported it home.
According to a 2012 interview with Town & Country magazine, Kennedy's daughter, Kick, described a peculiar family outing. She claimed her father, known for his interest in animal skulls, used a chainsaw to remove a whale's head from a carcass on Squaw Island in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The family then allegedly secured the enormous skull to their minivan's roof for a five-hour journey to New York.
Kick Kennedy recounted the experience, stating:
"Every time we accelerated on the highway, whale juice would pour into the windows of the car, and it was the rankest thing on the planet. We all had plastic bags over our heads with mouth holes cut out, and people on the highway were giving us the finger, but that was just normal day-to-day stuff for us."
[[Kick Kennedy's account of the whale head incident]]
This incident is not the only animal-related controversy surrounding Kennedy. In August 2024, he admitted to placing a dead bear cub in New York's Central Park approximately a decade earlier, describing it as an "amusing" prank. Additionally, in July 2024, Vanity Fair reported that Kennedy had consumed dog meat during a trip to Korea, though he insisted it was actually goat meat eaten in South America.
The Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, an environmental organization, has called for an investigation into Kennedy's actions. They suggest that possessing whale trophies from certain Atlantic Ocean species may violate the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. Furthermore, transporting the skull across state lines could potentially breach the Lacey Act, one of America's earliest wildlife conservation laws.
As of August 2024, Kennedy has not responded to requests for comment on these allegations. The former presidential candidate recently withdrew from the race and endorsed Donald Trump, adding another layer of complexity to his public image.
These incidents have raised questions about Kennedy's relationship with wildlife and environmental laws, particularly given his background as an environmental lawyer. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the impact of these controversies on Kennedy's political future remains uncertain.