Johannesburg – In the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa, a suspected poacher has been trampled to death by an elephant. The man’s body was found during an anti-poaching operation, said park spokesman Isaac Phaahla on Friday.
“Initial investigations suggest that the deceased was killed by an elephant and left behind by his accomplices.”
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The poacher’s cell phone was not damaged in the attack, the spokesman said. This was handed over to the police in order to support the officers in the investigation.
The Kruger National Park is badly affected by poaching, and rhinos in particular are often hunted there. According to animal rights activists, the rhino population in the park has fallen by almost 70 percent to around 4,000 animals in the past ten years.
The park reported a similar case last year, when a poacher was killed by lions. Only the man’s head could be found three days later. The suspect’s accomplices had called an emergency line to report him missing.
With new technologies and increased controls, the park’s employees are increasingly taking action against poachers. In several cases, suspects could be caught before killing an animal.