“Pretty Little Liars” star Ashley Benson has issued an apology after posting a photo to Instagram of herself in what was described as a “Cecil the Lion costume.”
“Yesterday’s post was in poor taste and I absolutely regret all of the hurt that photo caused,” Benson wrote on Instagram. “The caption that was posted was incorrect and my costume was not Cecil the Lion, when I saw that I contact my management who handled the post and had it immediately changed.”
“I recognize that I am responsible for everything posted on my social accounts and this was an unfortunate oversight,” she continued. Benson also said she would be making a donation to the World Wildlife Fund.
The photo had depicted her in a gold-colored dress with a furry hoodie on her head and shoulder resembling a lion’s mane.
Cecil was the name of a lion in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe that was shot and killed in July by Minnesota dentist Walt Palmer. Palmer paid two local guides $50,000 to help him track and kill the lion apparently unaware that it was part of a study being conducted by Oxford University.
It was wearing a GPS tracking collar, which helped authorities determine who the guides were, and eventually led them to Palmer.
The Evolution of ABC Family: From '700 Club' to 'Pretty Little Liars' Powerhouse (Photos)
"The 700 Club" (1977 - )
The Christian talk show was one of the first on ABC Family -- back when it was known as the Christian Broadcasting Network. It premiered in April 1966 and moved to the network in 1977.
ABC Family
"State of Grace" (2001-2002)
This dramedy about two friends in 1960s North Carolina ran for two seasons on ABC Family when the network was known as Fox Family.
ABC Family
"Kyle XY" (2006-2009)
ABC Family relaunched in 2001, adopted a new slogan in 2006 ("A New Kind of Family") and incorporated shows targeted at young adults. Among the first: "Kyle XY," a sci-fi drama about a belly-button-less boy with no memory of his past.
ABC Family
"Greek" (2007-2011)
This dramedy follows Cyprus-Rhodes University students who are members of the school's Greek system.
ABC Family
"The Secret Life of the American Teenager" (2008-2013)
The show, about a high school teenager (Shailene Woodley) who gets pregnant and keeps her baby, is a stark contrast to material from the old days of CBN.
ABC Family
"Make It or Break It" (2009-2012)
In an effort to be more female-friendly, ABC Family launched this series about teen gymnasts who are working toward competing in the Olympic Games.
ABC Family
"Pretty Little Liars" (2010- )
One of the top shows in ABC Family's history, "Pretty Little Liars" boasts a solid fan base on social media.
ABC Family
"Melissa & Joey" (2010 - )
ABC Family is ending "Melissa & Joey" after four seasons, and announced the series finale will air on Aug. 5.
ABC Family
"The Lying Game" (2011-2013)
"The Lying Game" -- based on novels by "Pretty Little Liars" author Sara Shepard -- didn't receive the same love as the latter. The teen drama was canceled after two seasons.
ABC Family
"Switched At Birth" (2011- )
"Switched at Birth" follows two teenage girls who were handed off to the wrong parents at birth and raised in two different worlds. The series has four seasons to its name.
ABC Family
"Baby Daddy" (2012 - )
Like "Secret Life," "Baby Daddy" features a controversial storyline -- a man in his twenties is handed a baby by a one-night stand and becomes a single father.
ABC Family
"Bunheads" (2012-2013)
Before it was canceled after only one season, "Bunheads" followed a Las Vegas showgirl who spontaneously marries and becomes a teacher at her mother-in-law's ballet school.
ABC Family
"The Fosters" (2013 - )
The Foster family is comprised of an interracial lesbian couple who are raising adopted and foster children, along with their own.
ABC Family
"Chasing Life" (2014 - )
"Chasing Life" was adapted from the Spanish-language Mexican series "Terminales."
ABC Family
"Young & Hungry" (2014 - )
"Young & Hungry," which features Emily Osment as an up-and-coming chef, premiered its second season in March 2015.
ABC Family
"Becoming Us" (2015 - )
The Ryan Seacrest-produced reality series centers on the Lehwald family, whose father has become a transgender woman.
ABC Family
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Launched as Christian Broadcasting Network in 1977, the network has transformed itself over the years
"The 700 Club" (1977 - )
The Christian talk show was one of the first on ABC Family -- back when it was known as the Christian Broadcasting Network. It premiered in April 1966 and moved to the network in 1977.