UPDATE: Couple relive nightmare buffalo attack

HAVING barely survived a bloody buffalo bush encounter four weeks ago, Andrew and Tracey Zaloumis are slowly on the mend.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park CEO and his wife were severely gored while walking with a small group in a remote section of the Eastern Shores.

In between blurred flashbacks of the experience in their minds, they are steadily recovering from wounds that have left their bodies badly scarred, but with no permanent disabilities.

Their injuries show how close they were to losing their lives from wounds or blood loss.

Tracey suffered a fracture of the lumbar vertebrae and a badly gored thigh, while the buffalo’s horns pierced Andrew’s abdomen, resulting in kidney damage and three broken ribs.

Blood spewed from a wound to his head and Andrew also suffered collar bone injury and tore ligaments around both knees.

‘We had the misfortune of surprising an old dugga boy, well screened by a cluster of deep green bushes.

‘It was a few metres off and I had no choice but to stand while those under my charge climbed trees,’ said Andrew, understating his bravery in taking the brunt of the charge.

‘It happened fast. I saw the blur of buffalo and reacted,’ said Andrew.

‘I shouted a warning over my left shoulder and knew it was face or flee.

‘Instinctively I turned sideways to limit the damage.

‘The tip of its left horn hooked into the side of my abdomen cracking ribs and bruising my right kidney.

‘It pulled its head up, twisting as the horn came out of my body and its boss connected a solid blow to the side of my temple leaving an imprint and deep cut.

‘The impact pushed me backwards before catapulting me.

‘As I hit the dirt it crossed my mind that it would be back.

‘Strangely I accepted this calmly as a simple detail. During all of this a collar bone and some ribs broke.

‘The next thing I knew I had walked up to Tracey and was telling her to stand up – we had a walk to the end and guests to take care of.

‘Apparently I had been unconscious for some minutes, while the rest of the party came out from behind their places of safety.

’I am told Tracey started running for help when the buffalo came up behind her, goring her left thigh and tossing her aside.’

Gratitude

Filled with appreciation for their safe delivery through the painful ordeal, the trauma is also mitigated by the tremendous public support they have received.

‘We are extremely grateful to everyone involved,’ Andrew told the Zululand Observer on Tuesday

‘The enormous number of messages, calls, gifts, prayers, well-wishes and offers of assistance in many different ways, from community near and far, is truly appreciated.’

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