Africa: Elephants trample trophy hunters to death

Elephants trample two men to death – News – The Namibian

05/19/2024

In the first incident, an elephant trampled a man (46) to death at Kambangula cattle post at Tsandi in the Omusati region.

According to the police, a bull elephant trampled professional hunter Gert van der Walt to death.

Van der Walt was allegedly trophy hunting the elephant, which has been declared a ‘problem animal’, with a client, guided by Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism officials.

He was a Swakopmund resident.

Axel Cramer, the president of Namibia Professional Hunting Association (Napha), yesterday confirmed that Van der Walt was trampled by an elephant during a legally sanctioned problem animal control hunt.

He said the hunt was conducted with a permit issued by the ministry.

Salambala Conservancy manager Fabian Mavuna has cautioned villagers to be on high alert, following the death of another man (49) after he was attacked by an elephant in the Ngoma area on Monday.

The man was identified by inspector Kisco Sitali as Albert Kapule, who was walking back to his village when he was attacked by the elephant.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Muvuna said there is a high influx of elephants and other wildlife from Botswana’s Chobe National Park in search of water due to drought.

Mavuna said incidents of human-wildlife conflict in the Salambala Conservancy are not common, though isolated incidents occasionally take place.

Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda yesterday said the ministry has since identified the troublesome elephant and it was put down.