Tourist killed Kafue National Park

[Stranger]

Having seen the video on another forum, there seems to be some consensus that the driver was egging the Ellie on in order for the clients to get the "Ellie charging video"

If this was the case, then there is no pill for stupid.

[mfuwefarmer]

The Kafue NP is 500 000ha larger than the Kruger. It only received 16000 visitors compared to milions of the Kruger, so much less eyes.

Thus Kafue remains a poacher's paradise dispite the tsetse protection offered to annimals

[Rainier Vermaak]

Here is the video.

Not sure how the driver egged on the elephant.

https://twitter.com/ginnydmm/status/...k-on-safari%2F

[lekhubu943]

Very sad incident. And very elderly lady. RIP.

I don't think the guide did anything to trigger the ellie. It was mentioned somewhere that the individual elephant is known to them.

We encounted very few elephants in Kafue (luckily), but none of them seemed relaxed. They exuded a different vibe from Kruger elephants. And in the north of Kruger you sometimes run into a real dingbat of an elephant.

I honestly think he slowed down now and then to see if the elephant gives up or maybe to consider his options, knowing he may run out of space.

[HunterNW]

Taken from the letter: "Our guides are all extremely well trained and experienced, but sadly in this instance the terrain and vegetation was such that the guide’s route became blocked and he could not move the vehicle out of harm’s way quickly enough” says Keith Vincent, Wilderness Chief Executive Officer."
The vehicle came to a stop, I didn't see any intention in moving forward or reverse ? Then what was his plan originally when driving on a path that runs out of road ? Extremely well trained and experienced in tracking maybe, or getting close for $$$$$$ photos .... but not for quick thinking in a dangerous situation.

2c

[Searcher]

A bit OT.

In elephant territory, I am always on the lookout for escape routes, space to turn around or reverse, etc. especially in the Namibian riverbeds and canyons with reeds, bush and so many blind corners.
Even in Etosha when a herd of elephants is near, it's no good parking yourself in a tight space.

Watching this video and others like it also reaffirms my dislike for towing a trailer in elephant territory.
With a trailer, you either have to stop or carry on forward. There is just no way I will be able to reverse out of a stressful elephant encounter with a trailer hitched.
Even attempting a tight U-turn is usually out of the question with a trailer when there is trouble heading your way.

[IcePick88]

A bit OT.

In elephant territory, I am always on the lookout for escape routes, space to turn around or reverse, etc. especially in the Namibian riverbeds and canyons with reeds, bush and so many blind corners.
Even in Etosha when a herd of elephants is near, it's no good parking yourself in a tight space.

Watching this video and others like it also reaffirms my dislike for towing a trailer in elephant territory.
With a trailer, you either have to stop or carry on forward. There is just no way I will be able to reverse out of a stressful elephant encounter with a trailer hitched.
Even attempting a tight U-turn is usually out of the question with a trailer when there is trouble heading your way.

Agree 100%.

If I can, I'll drive past herds of elephants when towing and will only stop when past them. SWAMBO and the kids and try and look out the back window or something.

Or if I cannot drive past, I'll stop FAAAAAR away.

Reversing with something coupled to my car in a emergency is a no go for me.

[JS-V8]

Here is the video.

Not sure how the driver egged on the elephant.

https://twitter.com/ginnydmm/status/...k-on-safari%2F

That is bad.

That elephant really wanted to get to that vehicle that is clear.

[Kalahari Safari]

A bit OT.

In elephant territory, I am always on the lookout for escape routes, space to turn around or reverse, etc. especially in the Namibian riverbeds and canyons with reeds, bush and so many blind corners.
Even in Etosha when a herd of elephants is near, it's no good parking yourself in a tight space.

Watching this video and others like it also reaffirms my dislike for towing a trailer in elephant territory.
With a trailer, you either have to stop or carry on forward. There is just no way I will be able to reverse out of a stressful elephant encounter with a trailer hitched.
Even attempting a tight U-turn is usually out of the question with a trailer when there is trouble heading your way.

Very true, I am towing

But from this video it appears that Ellie is nowhere near to start with and just hat a target and a mission.
As from the distance, I would not have judged this critical.

So 50 meters seems like nothing, when in Botswana you can get as close as 10 meters without an issue.

[spicydave]

Few weeks back an Ellie also killed a ranger on a lodge in Mosselbay ...

[PJ SA]

The vehicle came to a stop, I didn't see any intention in moving forward or reverse ? Then what was his plan originally when driving on a path that runs out of road ?

If I had to take a wild guess he was probably planning to turn around and drive back originally. Probably a good road for game viewing, very strange question.

Not everything needs to be a witch hunt. Very unfortunate event where that Ele seemed hell bent on having a go from far away already.

[GH]

Very true, I am towing

But from this video it appears that Ellie is nowhere near to start with and just hat a target and a mission.
As from the distance, I would not have judged this critical.

So 50 meters seems like nothing, when in Botswana you can get as close as 10 meters without an issue.

I experienced an elephant charge in Moremi. The elephant was about 250m away from me. Usually no problem but this elephant got me in it sights and came at me from this distance. I have never experienced anything like it.

[luangwablondes]

If I had to take a wild guess he was probably planning to turn around and drive back originally. Probably a good road for game viewing, very strange question.

Not everything needs to be a witch hunt. Very unfortunate event where that Ele seemed hell bent on having a go from far away already.

All the times I've been chased, there were a couple times that I was in a no win situation. I just turned off the engine and told passengers to shut up. It worked each time. Learned that one at Etosha when I got boxed in by a lot of vehicles backing up near a waterhole to get away from this massive bull elephant that was walking down the track. No choice except to enjoy the view. He walked right on by.

Usually there seems to be a reason that ticked off ellies. A breeding herd with young, young males in musth, the noise from the engine can do it, ellies that have been hunted by poachers, or when you are walking in camp and get too close(ellies have a bubble too). They're like a temperamental girlfriend.

[ingrid]

Hi Ed had a similar experience on Kafue eastern border. An aggressive Ellie gave charge from 200+ meters away.
Luckily we n ad time and room to reverse around a corner...Then veered off into the river and took cover in the islands there. We put it down to poaching and harassment by farmers near park borders..

[Gungets Tuft]

That ele had targeted this vehicle, and from a long way away. This has happened to me in Kruger, exiting Phabeni gate, at the bridge there. Ele came for me, possibly because we'd stopped to take a photo of him in a water hole (about 60m from us). Only came for us. I reversed and he stopped. Other cars came past, even other white Tunas like mine, with no issue. I even reversed right out of sight, but three times he came for me. Eventually I followed another vehicle closely. Even then he started towards me. The other vehicle then SLOWED DOWN, obviously thinking he'd get a nice close up photo op, but luckily saw my frantic headlight flashing and accelerated followed by my. They're highly sentient animals, judging mood via actions and body language hugely important.

Just an aside, just back from Kruger, and I noticed a lot of eles on edge down south around Lower Sabie and Croc Bridge, very different to the past. It would be interesting to know why. We were backed up by bulls almost every day, them clearly in no mood to move off roads. One of them, when we were following a herd which was pushing cars back on the H1 (them heading north) a young buck gave us a very noisy mock charge - we were at least 100m away from them. We turned and just went somewhere else. Emotional elephants are not my friends. I'll have to see if the Dashcam got any footage.

[Amolkarnik]

We were in kafue in 2019 self driving between lodges.

Elephant generally where hard to see and when sighted, guides started well clear, I mean 2-300 metres away, and even then the herds were nervous. On at least two occasions, I had to make a quick getaway while slowing down to watch them to avoid being charged.

Poaching has made them very nervous, but I think African Parks will bring this under control in time.

[bigboy529]

Very sad incident.

Apparently they knew the elephant and knew of its temperament problems, this I believe since rangers working in parks get to know animals very well after years and years of observation.

I'm going to be that guy now, in a ideal world, in nature reserves where tourism is key, problem elephants like those should be destroyed long before they develop a reputation of aggression. Unfortunately the only way this is ever going to happen is if all southern African countries leave CITES. Just look at the massive elephant problem in Kruger and Botswana's elephant problem which was in the news again recently.
Botswana's president hit the nail on the head, if European countries like Germany want to dictate to African countries how their elephants should be managed, then maybe we should send them a few and see how they deal with them.
Where in the world does it make sense that countries like Monaco, Norway and Germany have a say over how we manage our elephants here in Africa, over 80% of the signatory countries to CITES probably don't even have a elephant in a zoo, never mind in the wild where they definitely don't have any.

[bigboy529]

That ele had targeted this vehicle, and from a long way away. This has happened to me in Kruger, exiting Phabeni gate, at the bridge there. Ele came for me, possibly because we'd stopped to take a photo of him in a water hole (about 60m from us). Only came for us. I reversed and he stopped. Other cars came past, even other white Tunas like mine, with no issue. I even reversed right out of sight, but three times he came for me. Eventually I followed another vehicle closely. Even then he started towards me. The other vehicle then SLOWED DOWN, obviously thinking he'd get a nice close up photo op, but luckily saw my frantic headlight flashing and accelerated followed by my. They're highly sentient animals, judging mood via actions and body language hugely important.

Just an aside, just back from Kruger, and I noticed a lot of eles on edge down south around Lower Sabie and Croc Bridge, very different to the past. It would be interesting to know why. We were backed up by bulls almost every day, them clearly in no mood to move off roads. One of them, when we were following a herd which was pushing cars back on the H1 (them heading north) a young buck gave us a very noisy mock charge - we were at least 100m away from them. We turned and just went somewhere else. Emotional elephants are not my friends. I'll have to see if the Dashcam got any footage.

IMHO over population, too many bulls and not enough space to really have a territory where other bulls don't interfere, especially come mating time.
You would also turn in to a grumpy person if you had to compete with hundreds of other guys each and every time you want to take a lady out on a date. I'm sure more / bigger / stronger competition literally around every second bush gets very old, very quickly.

[Caracal]

We were in kafue in 2019 self driving between lodges.

Elephant generally where hard to see and when sighted, guides started well clear, I mean 2-300 metres away, and even then the herds were nervous. On at least two occasions, I had to make a quick getaway while slowing down to watch them to avoid being charged.

Poaching has made them very nervous, but I think African Parks will bring this under control in time.

Ever heard the saying, "an elephant never forgets".

It will take decades to get the fear of poachers out of the current generation of elephants.

Look how long it took Gonarehzou, many many years.

[Leeubok]

Very sad incident.

Apparently they knew the elephant and knew of its temperament problems, this I believe since rangers working in parks get to know animals very well after years and years of observation.

I'm going to be that guy now, in a ideal world, in nature reserves where tourism is key, problem elephants like those should be destroyed long before they develop a reputation of aggression. Unfortunately the only way this is ever going to happen is if all southern African countries leave CITES. Just look at the massive elephant problem in Kruger and Botswana's elephant problem which was in the news again recently.
Botswana's president hit the nail on the head, if European countries like Germany want to dictate to African countries how their elephants should be managed, then maybe we should send them a few and see how they deal with them.
Where in the world does it make sense that countries like Monaco, Norway and Germany have a say over how we manage our elephants here in Africa, over 80% of the signatory countries to CITES probably don't even have a elephant in a zoo, never mind in the wild where they definitely don't have any.

IMHO over population, too many bulls and not enough space to really have a territory where other bulls don't interfere, especially come mating time.
You would also turn in to a grumpy person if you had to compete with hundreds of other guys each and every time you want to take a lady out on a date. I'm sure more / bigger / stronger competition literally around every second bush gets very old, very quickly.

I'm not going to comment on the over population issue. But in SA, "problem" elephants can and are dealt with. If you can ID the specific individual, they normally get 3 strikes before they get culled. What we have observed in KZN, is that it is not the over population that is causing males to be aggressive, it is because the population demography is not what it would be naturally. Because, apart from Kruger, Tembe and Addo, all other populations were reintroduced at some point. Many of these populations do not have big, old bulls to teach the young ones and put them in their place. And that is very often the problem.

Sorry, OT a bit and not related to what happened in Kafue