Animals fighting back: Wounded buffalo kills poacher in Kruger National Park

The plans of a group of alleged illegal hunters took a deadly turn when a Kruger National Park (KNP) buffalo stood his ground and trampled one of them to death on Sunday, 13 October.

Following the incident, police at Masisi, in the Vhembe District of Limpopo, have arrested five men between the ages of 28 and 42, at Bende Mutale and Nkotswi villages for defeating the ends of justice and illegal hunting.

Their arrest came after an undertaker – who was called by the family to pick up his body – became suspicious of his many injuries and contacted the police.

Buffalo attacks and kills poacher in Kruger National Park

According to Limpopo provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, the accused men were arrested on Sunday after an investigation uncovered that the victim was allegedly part of a group of poachers illegally hunting buffaloes in the Kruger National Park.

“The group shot the buffalo and one of the accomplices removed the injured victim [deceased] from the scene and placed him next to the fence of the park.

“One of them returned home to inform relatives to come and pick him up. The relative came and picked up the victim. When they arrived at home, they informed the undertaker about the deceased, and he was collected from their home,” Ledwaba said.

“The undertaker, after discovering that the deceased had multiple injuries, notified the police.”

Ledwaba confirmed that the police have opened cases of defeating the ends of justice and illegal hunting.

The accused appeared at Masisi Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

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Big Five club: Cape buffalo, the ‘widow maker’

Also known as the “Black Death” or a “widow maker”, the Cape buffalo is said to kill more than 200 people per year. They are known for charging hunters even after being wounded. 

Collectively, a number of buffalo are more than capable to stave off an attack by an entire pride of lions. A wounded buffalo bull is regarded as most dangerous by hunters, and is one of the reasons why it is included in the “Big Five”.

In 2022,  a buffalo killed a tourist and wounded a farm owner in an attack in Polokwane.

The 50-year-old man was declared dead on the scene. The farm owner was also injured in the attack but narrowly escaped death by climbing a tree. 

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‘Hunter hunted’: Animals vs poachers

This isn’t the first time an attempt at poaching wildlife has resulted in the tables being turned.

• In 2012, a buffalo killed a suspected fish poacher in the Kruger National Park. 

This after four men entered the KNP late afternoon to fish with gill nets when they stumbled across the lone buffalo.

The buffalo charged and injured one of the men. The other three carried him some distance, but eventually left him under a tree and ran home to seek help.

When they returned with the police and KNP rangers, they found their accomplice had died.

ALSO READ: Buffalo injures field ranger at Kruger National Park

• In 2019, five suspected rhino poachers illegally snuck into the Kruger National Park. One of them was charged and trampled to death by an elephant, his body eaten by a pride of lions. Only his skull and torn trousers were found.

“Our field rangers looked around the area and made the unfortunate discovery of a skull. That was the only remaining part of the deceased,” Kruger National Park spokesperson Isaac Phaahla told AFP.

He said a pride of lions was thought to have been in the area and was believed to have devoured the man’s remains.

“But the family were grateful that at least they have the bone to go and bury and they know what happened,” Phaahla said.

• In 2010, Kruger National Park rangers discovered the remains of a poacher who had been devoured by lions shortly after being chased and injured by a group of hippos.

South Africa a poaching hotspot

The demand for ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales and lion bones is causing the widespread decline of hundreds of species.

Poaching has already driven two sub-species to extinction in the wild: The western black rhino and the northern white rhino.

In 2023, 499 rhinos were killed in South Africa, a worrying increase of more than 10% compared to 2022.

Moreover, the numbers highlight serious ongoing concerns for Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) in KwaZulu-Natal, which has been heavily targeted in recent years and lost 307 rhinos to poaching during 2023.

This represents more than 60% of the national poaching losses and is an increase of 33% compared to 2022.

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