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An elephant has trampled to death a Spanish tourist who stepped out of his vehicle to take photos of a small herd at a renowned South African park, on Tuesday.
The 43-year-old tourist was attacked on Sunday morning at the Pilanesberg National Park, about 200 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg.
It was reported that the man, his fiancee and two women were driving their own vehicle within the reserve when they spotted three elephants and three calves, police said.
“The man stopped the vehicle, alighted and went closer to the elephants to take pictures,” police spokesman Sabata Mokgwabone said.
According to Pieter Nel, chief conservation officer at the North West province’s Parks and Tourism Board, said the matriarch of the herd attacked upon becoming “agitated” after seeing the tourist approach.
“It is normal behaviour for elephants to try to “defend the young ones”, he added.
It will be recalled that in 2021 a suspected poacher was killed by elephants in South Africa’s world famous Kruger National Park.
And last year 50 people were killed and 85 injured by wild animals — mostly elephants in neighbouring Zimbabwe, according to local authorities.
Though, Pilanesberg and other South African parks tell visitors driving through the reserves to keep the windows closed and not to disembark from their vehicles.
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