Zimbabwe elephant crushes trophy hunter, killing him
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A big game hunter died Friday in Zimbabwe when a member of his hunting group fired their gun at an elephant striking it and causing it to fall on him. (Reuters)
A big game hunter died Friday in Zimbabwe when a member of his hunting group fired their gun at an elephant striking it and causing it to fall on him.
The group had gone for a walk in the afternoon near Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park when three elephants stormed the group, News 24 reported. A fourth elephant stormed the group from the side and was shot. The animal grabbed 51-year-old Theunis Botha with its trunk, then collapsed and fell on him.
Botha had "unknowingly" approached the elephant herd, a wildlife official told The Associated Press. Simukai Nyasha, spokesman for the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said Botha was on a 10-day, licensed hunt.
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Botha was a specialist in hunting leopards with hounds. Game Hounds Safaris, Botha’s company, said in a statement that he pioneered the hunts using packs of dogs in southern Africa.
Botha was well known in Zimbabwe and helped recruit Americans for trophy hunting, News 24 added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.