News24 – A man has reportedly died in Zimbabwe while trying to take a selfie with elephants. The elephant that charged at him was one of several that had escaped from a conservation area in central Zimbabwe.
According to The Herald, the man was gored and dragged several metres by a large elephant before being trampled to death. The identity of the man was not available at the time of publication.
The elephant was reportedly later put down by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks). The incident took place in a rural area outside of Kwekwe.
A second person was reportedly seriously injured in the incident and has been hospitalised at Kwekwe General Hospital.
In another incident, ZimParks also reportedly put down a second elephant after it was seen heading towards residential areas.
The incident comes after around seven elephants were reportedly spotted in the area by locals.
ZimParks told The Herald that after euthanising the two elephants, the remainder had been driven back to the Midlands Black Rhino Conservancy, from which they appear to have escaped, in the Midlands Province.
The elephants were considered a danger to humans, necessitating euthanasia, ZimParks reportedly said. Rangers are monitoring the situation, but it is now considered “under control,” the organisation said.
