Elephant kills Kruger ranger

2005-02-23 12:52

Zenzele Kuhlase

Nelspruit - A veteran field ranger in the Kruger National Park was trampled to death by an elephant on Tuesday morning.

Wilson Ndlovu and colleague Raymond Nkuna were on a routine bicycle patrol in the Stoltznek area near Pretoriuskop at about 07:00 when they come across the elephant.

"The elephant charged them and Ndlovu fired a shot to try scare the animal off, but it continued to charge and trampled him to death," said Lowveld police spokesperson Captain Thabisile Gama on Wednesday.

Nkuna raced off on his bicycle to raise the alarm.

By the time the police arrived on the scene, the elephant had left.

According to Kruger investigators, who were on the scene soon after the incident happened, the area is surrounded by two-metre-high grass and the rangers wouldn't have seen the elephant until the last moment.

"We would like to pass on our sincere condolences to the Ndlovu family on their loss," said the park executive director Dr Bandile Mkhize. "Lance-Corporal Ndlovu was said to be one of the finest and most experienced field rangers in the KNP and we will mourn his loss for a long time."

Ndlovu is survived by three brothers, two of whom work in the park, while the oldest retired from park recently.

He also leaves behind his wife and children, who live in the Mkhuhlu area.

In September 2003, another field ranger, Alfred Sithole, was trampled by an elephant during an anti-poaching patrol at the confluence of the Crocodile and Matjulwana rivers.

Sithole's chest bone was split in two, and his lungs punctured.

He survived, however, but only after three operations and months on a ventilator.

- African Eye