I will believe any bystander/eye witness rendition before I believe the drivel that SP PR's manage to squeeze into the press.Toko wrote:As usual one will never know what exactly happened
Elephant attack on vehicle
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Sprocky
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
Sometimes it’s not until you don’t see what you want to see, that you truly open your eyes.
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Richprins
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/co ... cle-in-KNP
Elephant savagely attacks vehicle in KNP
Two tourists were injured when an elephant savagely attacked their vehicle in the Kruger National Park.
31 December 2013 | Retha Nel
SKUKUZA - A great photo opportunity turned into a life-threatening experience when a couple’s vehicle was attacked by an enraged elephant in the Kruger National Park late yesterday afternoon.
Mr Jans de Klerk (a South African living in the UK) and Ms Sarah Brooks (a UK citizen) were driving in the southern part of the KNP along the N’waswitshaka Waterhole, south of the Phabeni tar road.
They spotted an elephant bull and followed it at what they thought was a safe following distance (30 to 40 metres), and took a video of the animal as it ambled along.
It suddenly turned around, walked rapidly towards them. They decided the best option was to remain stationary. They only started moving the vehicle away when the elephant broke into a full charge, but it was too late. The bull started attacking the vehicle and flipped it over about 20 metres into thick bush.
When the car lodged against a tree, the elephant continued attacking the vehicle for some time before walking away.
The attack was so savage that eyewitnesses were convinced that the occupants had been killed. They did not want to approach the vehicle in fear of the elephant that was still in the area.
They instead rushed to Skukuza to report the incident. A passing motorist assisted the victims, some 25 minutes later.
After rangers were notified, a helicopter was dispatched and arrived within minutes of the alert. The couple was airlifted to Skukuza, where they received emergency treatment from park doctors.
De Klerk, was in shock but sustained only minor injuries, while Brooks was not so lucky. One of the elephant’s tusks had ripped open the back of her upper thigh.
The doctors recommended she be taken to hospital and the two victims were airlifted to Mediclinic Nelspruit.
In the meantime, rangers went to look for the elephant, fearing it could attack again. It was located a few metres from the attack site, with another tourist vehicle in close proximity. Rangers managed to get the vehicle to safety and isolated the elephant before it was shot dead.
According to Mr Ike Phaahla, a SANParks media specialist, various factors were taken into account before the animal was shot.
The elephant’s aggression levels were very high due. One of the rangers also noticed that it was injured and deduced that it had probably been in a fight over territory prior to the attack.
The aggressive animal also posed a danger to other vehicles, as it was peak season in the park and a high density traffic area. Regular day walks are also conducted in the area, which would have put walkers in danger as well.
Phaahla advises guests to follow the rules of the park. “Remember that you are a guest in their territory. Respect them and keep a good following distance. Animals do not know what vehicle is and will sometimes attack if they feel threatened.
He urged guests to remain in their vehicles, stick to the designated speed limits and to not lean out of windows or stick limbs out while driving through the park. They should also never get out of the vehicles at a sighting as there could be an animal hiding in the surrounding bushes
Elephant savagely attacks vehicle in KNP
Two tourists were injured when an elephant savagely attacked their vehicle in the Kruger National Park.
31 December 2013 | Retha Nel
SKUKUZA - A great photo opportunity turned into a life-threatening experience when a couple’s vehicle was attacked by an enraged elephant in the Kruger National Park late yesterday afternoon.
Mr Jans de Klerk (a South African living in the UK) and Ms Sarah Brooks (a UK citizen) were driving in the southern part of the KNP along the N’waswitshaka Waterhole, south of the Phabeni tar road.
They spotted an elephant bull and followed it at what they thought was a safe following distance (30 to 40 metres), and took a video of the animal as it ambled along.
It suddenly turned around, walked rapidly towards them. They decided the best option was to remain stationary. They only started moving the vehicle away when the elephant broke into a full charge, but it was too late. The bull started attacking the vehicle and flipped it over about 20 metres into thick bush.
When the car lodged against a tree, the elephant continued attacking the vehicle for some time before walking away.
The attack was so savage that eyewitnesses were convinced that the occupants had been killed. They did not want to approach the vehicle in fear of the elephant that was still in the area.
They instead rushed to Skukuza to report the incident. A passing motorist assisted the victims, some 25 minutes later.
After rangers were notified, a helicopter was dispatched and arrived within minutes of the alert. The couple was airlifted to Skukuza, where they received emergency treatment from park doctors.
De Klerk, was in shock but sustained only minor injuries, while Brooks was not so lucky. One of the elephant’s tusks had ripped open the back of her upper thigh.
The doctors recommended she be taken to hospital and the two victims were airlifted to Mediclinic Nelspruit.
In the meantime, rangers went to look for the elephant, fearing it could attack again. It was located a few metres from the attack site, with another tourist vehicle in close proximity. Rangers managed to get the vehicle to safety and isolated the elephant before it was shot dead.
According to Mr Ike Phaahla, a SANParks media specialist, various factors were taken into account before the animal was shot.
The elephant’s aggression levels were very high due. One of the rangers also noticed that it was injured and deduced that it had probably been in a fight over territory prior to the attack.
The aggressive animal also posed a danger to other vehicles, as it was peak season in the park and a high density traffic area. Regular day walks are also conducted in the area, which would have put walkers in danger as well.
Phaahla advises guests to follow the rules of the park. “Remember that you are a guest in their territory. Respect them and keep a good following distance. Animals do not know what vehicle is and will sometimes attack if they feel threatened.
He urged guests to remain in their vehicles, stick to the designated speed limits and to not lean out of windows or stick limbs out while driving through the park. They should also never get out of the vehicles at a sighting as there could be an animal hiding in the surrounding bushes
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
Great advice that, if tourists don't know what a safe distance isPhaahla advises guests to follow the rules of the park. “Remember that you are a guest in their territory. Respect them and keep a good following distance. Animals do not know what vehicle is and will sometimes attack if they feel threatened.
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Richprins
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
One can click on the pic in the link...it is very disturbing indeed!
Kudos to this persistent journalist, whom we directed to this thread and Phaahla!
Kudos to this persistent journalist, whom we directed to this thread and Phaahla!
Last edited by Richprins on Wed Jan 01, 2014 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Sprocky
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
Please spell his name correctly, before he pulls a Rey on us.Richprins wrote:One can click on the pic in the link...it is very disturbing indeed!
Kudos to this persistent journalist, whom we directed to this thread and Phaala!
Sometimes it’s not until you don’t see what you want to see, that you truly open your eyes.
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Richprins
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
Done!
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
Not long ago, another elephant that "could have attacked even more people" was shot.
Kruger officials apologise for unfortunate elephant killing
Kruger officials apologise for unfortunate elephant killing
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Richprins
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
Ja, Toks, I fixed the link earlier...a bit different when on foot, one may suppose? 
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Re: alleged elephant attack on vehicle
KNP decision to kill elephant met with anger
Another bit by Mabasa
Another bit by Mabasa
Kruger National Park spokesperson, William Mabasa, says, “Indeed after it was euthanised when we inspected the animal there were two things that were discovered which caused the aggression.”
“The first thing was that the animal was at musth and generally elephants when they are at musth they are aggressive and the other condition was that it had a serious wound on the end of the neck which suggests that it could have been involved in some fight. And when an elephant is injured naturally it becomes very aggressive and can attack anything that it comes across,'' adds Mabasa.