Tourists and elephants
It was sad to see the latest news headlines splashed across global media outlets over the unfortunate death of a Spanish tourist who was killed by elephants in South Africa’s Pilanesberg Game Reserve on 7 July 2024. However, in today’s rapid digital age, news is rapidly trampled into the internet archives and mostly forgotten after a few days. But for the victim’s family and friends, that fatal encounter will remain with them. Statistically though, incidents like this are exceedingly rare.
Globally, an estimated 200-500 people are killed annually by elephants, but exact figures are impossible to procure and verify as there is no centralised database. These figures are split between the African Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the Asian Elephant (Elaphas maximus).
A majestic elephant in the Kruger National Park.
The Asian Elephant is probably responsible for the greater proportion of human fatalities as this species is used extensively as a work animal and across its range is found in close association with high human population density. In addition, elephants raid the crops of subsistence farmers, greatly increasing human-wildlife conflict, which often leads to a fatal outcome for both people and elephants.
The situation in Africa is less clear, but human-elephant conflict does occur across the elephant’s range. A survey conducted in Mozambique over a 27-month period reported 31 deaths and 6 injuries. What was interesting about this study was the high proportion of deaths compared to injuries. However, this could also be attributed to reporting bias as non-fatal injuries might simply not be reported to the authorities.
Fatal encounters with elephants in the African population receive little press attention, but when an overseas guest is injured or killed, the incident receives international press coverage.
Fatal encounters involving tourists receive international press coverage.
The recent fatality in Pilanesberg Game Reserve was not the first. In March 1993, a 30-year-old German tourist was trampled in Pilanesberg by an irate elephant that was identified as having a dental abscess. The incident occurred as he was photographing the elephant from his vehicle when the elephant charged and flipped the car over. During the rollover, a three-year old child was flung from the car, and when the father went to her rescue, he was trampled and sustained fatal injuries.
In July 1996, a professional hunter was commissioned to cull a young bull elephant which was considered dangerous after charging a tourist. During the attempted cull, the young bull was injured and killed the hunter.
There was another recent incident on 18 March 2024 whereby a bull elephant in musth made several attempts to overturn a large game drive vehicle with guests on board. No one was injured but the vehicle was damaged in the encounter.
An elephant in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, North West Province, South Africa.
Despite the growing number of visitors and elephants, fatal encounters in the Kruger National Park are extremely rare. On 20 December 2022, a field ranger was severely injured whilst patrolling near Pretoriuskop and was airlifted to hospital.
Two rangers on patrol received minor injuries during a patrol on 30 March 2019, near Pafuri. On 30 December 2013, a bull elephant flipped over a VW Polo car with one of the female occupants receiving a serious leg injury by one of the tusks. The elephant was later shot by officials. This encounter could have been avoided had the driver kept a safer distance away from the elephant, as the video footage clearly shows that the elephant was feeling harassed.
On 8 April 2006, a car was overturned by a bull elephant in musth. Witnesses said that the car was switched off when the bull approached and overturned the vehicle. The incident happened around 10h45 on the road between Phalaborwa Gate and Letaba Camp. A 40-year-old motorist and three children sustained minor injuries.
On 16 January 2022, a vehicle was overturned by an elephant in iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the Eastern Shores side. No serious injuries were reported to the four occupants, two adults and two children, but one of the tusks pierced through the vehicle. In 2005, an employee of Ezemvelo-KZN Wildlife was killed by an elephant near Charters Creek, in iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Zambia has also had a few fatal encounters. On 2 July 2015, a university researcher from the United States was trampled by a bull elephant when conducting field work, and more recently (30 March 2024) a 79-year-old American tourist died after an elephant charged and rolled the game-viewing vehicle they were in. On 19 June 2024, another US tourist was killed by an elephant near the Maramba Cultural Bridge near Livingstone.
In January 2010, a mother and child living in Kenya were killed by an elephant. These are all rare and exceptional but being overseas tourists or guests, the stories receive international attention.
Interpreting wild animal “attacks”
When reporting on human-wildlife conflict, context, clarity and use of semantics is important. All to often the media uses the word “attack”, which promotes a negative connotation, implying that the incident was a premeditated, unprovoked, and aggressive response. In most wildlife incidents, the encounters are defensive in nature and no fault of the animal involved.
There are generally four categories of animal “attacks” on humans. Most incidents are defensive in nature. The animals are merely displaying natural behaviour such as defending territory, defending their young, or defending themselves from what they perceive as a threat to their wellbeing. Elephant encounters are almost always defensive, including large bulls in musth who are showing elevated levels of testosterone in response to mating.
The second type is predatory in nature, and this is when the animal views a human as potential prey. The most notable “predators” in this regard are crocodiles, particularly the African Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) and the Austro-Asian Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), who view people as protein. To a much lesser degree, tigers, lions, leopard, and sharks could fit into this category, but most fatal or near-fatal encounters with these animals are still of a defensive nature.
Investigative attacks are often attributed to sharks who bite people when mistaking them for natural prey such as seals, fish, or turtles. These bites often happen in turbulent or murky water where visibility is low.
The last category is that of habitual attacks when wild and/or domesticated animals become habituated, and lose their natural fear of people. The distinction between categories is not always clear-cut. For example, bears may become habituated around people by raiding trash cans, but an attack could also be interpretated as defensive.
A young elephant in Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
What is musth?
Bull elephants come into musth because of elevated hormonal levels during their breeding period. It is often noticeable as a dark liquid oozing down the side of the head from temporal glands. The substance is called temporin. The testosterone levels are highly elevated during this time and bulls become more excitable and irritable. The word musth is derived from an Urdu (Persian) term for intoxication.
Appreciating elephants
Despite the isolated incidents highlighted above, most encounters with elephants are peaceful and will leave a lasting appreciation and memorable experience of these intelligent, sentient beings. As highlighted in the SANParks Annual Report for the 2022-2023 financial year, some 4.9 million people visited the national parks in South Africa with very few dangerous encounters with elephants. By following these basic precautions, both humans and elephants can continue living in harmony:
When entering a game reserve or national park, spend a few minutes reading the rules and guidelines printed on the entry permit. All too often regulations are ignored.
If partaking in an organised game drive, listen to the guides instructions. Game guides across southern Africa have undergone a vigorous training and assessment regimen to conduct tours in Big 5 reserves. Guides need to meet stringent criteria when conducting bush walks in Big 5 reserves and are highly trained and experienced. So, always follow their orders.
When conducting a self-drive, always give elephants a wide berth and space. This is understandably not always possible as elephants can remain superbly hidden until the last minute.
Mutual respect for other vehicles is essential by giving them enough space to manoeuvre out of a dangerous situation. Unfortunately, all too often overcrowding is a problem at a sighting, and people become impatient.
Be extra vigilant for herds with young, and give the herd plenty of room. This especially, applies to elephant bulls in musth.
If an elephant is behaving erratically or aggressively (shaking its head, flapping its ears erratically, turning around suddenly), don’t try to overtake it. Keep a safe following distance, or drive in the opposite direction if feasible. The further away the better. If an elephant approaches your car, drive away slowly and calmly, if it is safe to do so.
Never leave your vehicle to take a photograph or selfies. Despite their bulky appearance and slow gait, elephants can run frightfully fast.
The general theory in game drives is that people blend into the vehicle and are not perceived as a threat, but the moment you exit the vehicle you are viewed as something dangerous and unpredictable.
Never try to push or force elephants off the road using your vehicle. Give them right of way, and let them pass in their own time.
When conducting field work in elephant territory, scan the surrounding bush intensely and know where the elephants are. Large bulls can often blend perfectly into a small stand of trees.
Some camps and private reserves in southern Africa are unfenced, so when elephants enter the camp, avoid approaching them. Be extra vigilant at night when walking between tents, chalets, or ablutions. Large elephants become almost invisible in the dark!
Text and photographs: Warren Schmidt
