Elephant tramples SA man - poachers blamed

[0000DS]

Elephant tramples SA man - poachers blamed
2010-10-20 23:04
Pretoria - A Zimbabwean conservation official on Wednesday pointed the finger at poachers after an elephant trampled a South African man to death in Zimbabwe.

Johnny Rodrigues, chairperson of the Zimbabwean Conservation Task Force (ZCTF), said elephants in Zimbabwe have been so traumatised by poachers that they charge at anyone these days.

Don Hornsby, 55, from Bedfordview in Johannesburg, was attacked by an elephant last week at Mutsadona near Lake Kariba, while apparently trying to take a picture of the animal.

"Don and some friends were fishing from the bank of the lake when the elephants came to drink water.

"He was running to fetch his camera when the elephant charged at him.

"Usually the rule at the lake is that people may only catch fish from their boats, and not from the banks - because the animals drink there.

"I don't know why they were on the bank. As a passionate conservationist, Don would have been especially aware of the ways of nature and the tension of the elephants.

"It's so sad that a man who cared about and invested so much in the conservation of Zimbabwe's wildlife had to die like this.

But I do believe that he would have preferred to die in nature, where he was at his happiest," Rodrigues said.

Hornsby's remains will arrive in South Africa this week. A memorial service will be held on Saturday in Johannesburg.

According to the department of international relations and co-operation, the incident has not been reported to them.

[African Child]

Oeee ek het eerstehandse ervaring van daai olifante! Ry mos so lekke op n tweespoorpad parralel met Lake Kariba seker so 50 of meer kilo's suid van die dorp Kariba. Heel rustig....die son wat sy laaste strale oor die bos gooi......die volgende oomblik storm daar n tiener-olifant uit ons 3uur se rigting op ons af

Nou Ulf ( van Noorwee ) is agter die stuur, oor sy lippe knal woorde wat ek nie verstaan nie, maar die spoeg spatsels teen die voor ruit vertel my duidelik die dringendheid daarvan. Ek skree in afrikaans, " STEEK HOM MAN! TRAP HOM! " Weet nie regtig of hy my verstaan het nie maar daai Hilux se 2.7L motortjie sing skielik vir jou soos n Mazda rotory!!!! Maar bliksem.... ons is in low range en die Hilux kry nie naastenby genoeg spoed nie. Teen hierdie tyd is die hoogs ontstelde olifant net tree van die wit Hilux..... Ek skuif solank af in my sitplek en klou vir die groot slag....


Op die laaste oomblik, en ek bedoel die laaste oomblik gooi daai olifant n u-turn soos nie eers Athlone se mees opkomende jimkana jaer met sy rearwheeldrive Skyline kan doen nie. n End verder stop ek n Ulf.... reguit yskas toe vir versterkings.... min wetend van die twee kerels met AK's en paar kilo's verder.... ag net om die dag mee af te sluit. Afrika, never n dull moment...

[HennieJ2]

Selfs die tieners (olifante dit is) van Chobe storm karre en mense. Ek wil dalk verskil van die poaching oorsaak - soms is dit meer mense se "ignorance" teen-oor wilde diere wat maak dat die diere se koppe uithak. In Mana het 2 buitelanders direk op 'n olifant in die kamp af gestap en eers toe hy vir hulle trompetter, het hulle die hasepad gekies. Die diere bly wild en as jy in hulle territory in gaan neuk, gaan jy moeilikheid kry. Op die game count waarsku hulle jou om draaie om die diere te loop as jy hulle kry, anders GAAN jy moeilikheid kry.

HJ

[Mud Dog]

Leon, is jy seker hy was onsteld en julle af storm ... of wou hy miskien net daai lekker groot ryp piesang op jul dak bykom?

[African Child]

Ek het nooit so daaraan gedink nie, van nou af is dit dan geen citrus en GEEN PIESANGS naby olifante nie... net vir veiligheid