Wildlife officer trampled to death by elephant in Botswana

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - A 55-year-old wildlife officer was trampled and killed by an elephant in Botswana's Mathathane village on Thursday.

"The elephant was shot but not killed; it escaped and poses a threat to human life," Masego Kesenkilwe, spokesperson for the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks, said in a statement on Friday, adding that the public was advised to exercise caution when moving around the area.

A Mathathane station commander, Oneetse Gagogosha, said in a separate statement that the victim was among five armed officers tasked to eliminate the giant that had encroached on human spaces.

"The officer (names withheld) was amongst the five charged with the responsibility of killing the elephant that had encroached upon human spaces," Gagogosha said, adding that all five officers had service guns and shot at the elephant from outside their official vehicle, but the jumbo animal kept charging until it trampled upon and killed the victim.

Gagogosha said Mathathane and the peripheries were now on high alert as the elephant was still alive and extremely dangerous.

“It was only after trampling upon their colleague that the four other officers aborted the elephant-killing mission and rushed their colleague to the hospital, where he was declared dead upon arrival," Gagogosha added.