A 40-YEAR-OLD man who was employed as an elephant handler by a tour operator in Victoria Falls was trampled to death by an elephant on Saturday while rounding up a herd for penning.
Mr Jorum Ndlovu of 1043 Chinotimba suburb died on the spot following the attack.
His workmates Messrs Misheck Ncube and Nyasha Phiri tried to scare the jumbo away by throwing stones at it but their efforts were in vain, police confirmed. Rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority shot dead the elephant.
Police officer commanding Victoria Falls District, Chief Superintendent Tadeus Madondo said a young bull elephant charged at Mr Ndlovu and trampled him to death.
“I can confirm that an elephant handler employed by Wild Horizons was trampled to death by one of the elephants. On July 7 at 8AM, Jorum Ndlovu, in the company of Misheck Ncube (42) and Nyasha Phiri (23) who both reside at Wild Horizon Camp drove seven domesticated elephants from the pens to the grazing area in the Wild Horizon sanctuary,” said Chief Supt Madondo.
“At around 11AM the three were ordered to drive back the elephants to the stables as there were some tourists who wanted to do a ride. As they are were driving them, two young elephants started fighting and other female elephants joined in.”
Chief Supt Madondo said the two young bulls fled in different directions as the bigger elephants charged at them.In the process, one of the elephants charged towards Mr Ndlovu who took to his heels.
“The elephant charged in the same direction of the handler who fled and it pursued and trampled on him. His two colleagues threw stones at the elephant to scare it away and by the time they got to where he was lying he was already dead,” said Chief Supt Madondo.—@ncubeleon
Source: Domesticated Victoria Falls elephant tramples handler to death (10/07/18)
More: Victoria Falls Elephant Handler Trampled to Death By Jumbo (10/07/18)
More (external links):
SA’s elephant industry under pressure to end elephant rides (10/06/17)The truth behind elephant back riding in South Africa (25/11/16)
Can elephant tourism be ethical? (The Telegraph, 02/02/16)
Breaking Africa's elephants (pdf report, World Animal Protection Canada)
More captive elephant incidents (from this blog):
'Domesticated' elephant shot after trampling handler, Victoria Falls (03/02/18)
Captive elephant used in tourist elephant-back safaris kills handler (Livingstone, Zambia) (02/04/13)
Elephant-back Safaris “Simply Accidents Waiting to Happen” Warns Top Tourism Insurer (10/05/17)
Captive Elephant Used In Tourism Safaris Kills Handler In Victoria Falls (19/12/08)
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