Woman killed by elephant in Kruger

A female SANParks employee was killed by an elephant five kilometres from Mopani Camp yesterday afternoon in the Kruger National Park and declared dead on the scene by a paramedic, Lowvelder reports.

Another female SANParks employee who was also working in the veld was taken to the Medi-Clinic in Tzaneen with a fractured right femur. The night duty manager at the Mediclinic Tzaneen confirmed to Lowvelder that the patient was treated for her injuries in the clinic. 

She was transferred to the Medi-Clinic Limpopo in Polokwane during the early morning hours of March 31.

Mr. Jaco Gericke of Maponya 911 said to Lowvelder that the paramedics called out were escorted by rangers with rifles to the scene of the accident to assist.

Paramedics of Maponya 911 attended to the women charged by an elephant.

READ MORE: VIDEO: Two baby elephants have a vigorous fight over an anthill

According to him the deceased and the injured woman were not rangers but part of a team working in the area.

They got the call to go out at 4,20pm from section ranger Andrew Desmet. Gericke confirmed that both females were staff members of SANParks. This was confirmed by the park’s management.

“The elephant tusk entered her lower back and exited her chest,” Gericke said of the deceased. She also had a severe open fracture to her left knee.

According to Gericke the elephant disappeared into the bush after the incident. “I don’t know if he was part of a herd. The elephant was already gone when we arrived.”

SANParks said to Lowvelder early this morning that they will be issuing a statement later today.

Update to follow

– Caxton News Service

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