A suspected poacher hunting one of Africa’s prized white rhinos met a brutal end when a herd of elephants suddenly charged and trampled him to death inside South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
The man and an alleged accomplice had reportedly entered the massive wildlife reserve carrying a rifle and an axe, hoping to kill a white rhino and cash in on its valuable horn.
But before they could fire a shot, the hunters apparently wandered dangerously close to a herd of elephants resting beneath trees nearby.
The elephants charged, sending both men running for their lives.
“The two ran in different directions, but the one lining up the shot was the slowest to his feet and the elephants went for him first,” a park source said.
The man was quickly overwhelmed and trampled.
According to the source, rescuers later found little more than his clothing and a large bloodstain at the scene.
His alleged accomplice managed to escape the elephants and eventually returned home. Authorities say he later reported the other man missing.
Police arrested the surviving suspect, who then helped rangers locate the area where the attack happened.
South African National Parks spokesman JP Louw said officials had received information that two suspected poachers had illegally entered the park through the Pafuri area.
“It would seem they encountered a herd of elephants and fled in different directions,” Louw said.
The surviving suspect told authorities that while he was running, he heard his accomplice screaming.
Rangers were forced to hike roughly four miles from Pafuri Ranger Lodge before reaching the scene and finding the man’s body.
The surviving suspect now faces criminal proceedings over the alleged poaching attempt.
Kruger National Park covers more than 7,500 square miles and is believed to be home to roughly 1,850 white rhinos.
The animals remain a major target for poachers because rhino horn can command enormous prices on the illegal wildlife market, particularly in parts of Asia where it is used in traditional medicine despite having no proven medicinal benefits.
Rhino horn is made primarily from keratin, the same material found in human fingernails and hair.
The bizarre death quickly sparked celebration among animal lovers online.
“The elephants are the gatekeepers!” one Facebook user wrote.
Another praised the herd for protecting the rhinos, writing, “Big ups to the elephant family for helping the game rangers do their job out there.”
For park officials, the incident was another reminder that anyone sneaking into Kruger to hunt wildlife is entering territory where some of the animals can be far more dangerous than the poachers themselves.