South Africa. An elephant trampled a tourist to death in a national park

Due to the drastic nature of the attack, JP Louw, communications officer at South African National Parks (SANParks), appealed to witnesses of the event not to publish photos or videos online. He also asked them not to reveal information about the victim. He only told the media that the tragic incident took place at the Malelane Gate, the southern entrance to the park, near the Crocodile River.

-SANParks officials were at the scene to deal with the matter and support the family. The events leading up to the incident are being investigated, Louw said on Saturday. However, information appeared on social media from witnesses who described an elderly white man saving his grandson who was attacked by an elephant while they were using the toilet.

Elephant attacks are not uncommon. Last July, a Spanish tourist was trampled to death by a herd of elephants after he got out of his car to take photos of the animals in Pilanesberg National Park in northeastern South Africa. Early last year, an 80-year-old American woman died when an elephant attacked the vehicle in which she and a group of other tourists were traveling through a natural park in Zambia. The highest number of fatalities from attacks by wild animals, mainly elephants, is recorded in neighboring Zimbabwe, where in 2023 alone 50 people died and 85 suffered serious injuries. South Africa's national parks attract over a million tourists each year. Authorities have consistently warned that it is crucial that visitors follow safety precautions, remain in their vehicles at all times and maintain a safe distance from wildlife. Elephants are usually calm animals, but female elephants can be aggressive when their young are around. Any elephant can be dangerous when sick, injured or provoked by humans.