Baby dead, mom critical after being attacked by giraffe in KZN

A 25-year-old woman is fighting for her life in hospital after she and her one-year-old child were trampled by a giraffe in KwaZulu-Natal.

The child was fatally injured in the incident, which happened at a private game park in Hluhluwe on Wednesday.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nqobile Gwala said the child was taken to the nearest doctor’s room where she died.

Investigation

“The circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated. An inquest docket has been opened for investigation at Hluhluwe Saps.

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According to Zululand Observer, Netcare 911 paramedics spokesperson Shawn Herbst said the woman was in a critical condition.

“The mother was treated on scene, however, owing to the nature of the patient’s injuries and distance to an appropriate hospital, a decision was made to activate the Netcare 911 Helicopter Air Ambulance to fly the patient to a specialised facility.”

Giraffe Attacks

According to WildExplained Giraffes have the reputation of being gentle giants.

“Despite having peaceful nature, giraffes can potentially be dangerous to humans because of their size. Adult giraffes can reach 18 feet in height, and their leg kicks can be deadly to their predators.”

“However, giraffes are not predators, and they only attack in self-defense or when protecting their young ones,” WildExplained said.

The organisation said while they usually do not represent a danger to humans, there are specific scenarios when these giants can be lethal.

“Giraffes, like any other animal in the wild, may launch a self-defense attack when they feel threatened by something in their habitat.”

“However, more often than not, giraffes avoid confrontations when under threat by another predator or a human in their habitat,” it said.

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This article first appeared on Caxton publication Zululand Observer’s website, by Tamlyn Head. Read the original article here.