Elephant handler tragically trampled and killed by elephant in South Africa

A safari park ranger trying to coax a bull elephant back (through a gate it had opened) to the safety of the reserve was horrifically trampled and tusked to death in a frenzied attack in South Africa yesterday.

Elephant handler Kabelo Mashao, 36, was on park patrol at the upmarket Inverdoorn Private Nature Reserve when he saw the fully grown tusker use its trunk to release a gate catch which would allow it to escape.

The father-of-two stopped his 4 x 4 and told his colleague to stay in the vehicle while he approached the elephant he knew well.

As he tried to lure the elephant back into camp the elephant became spooked and charged his handler, knocking him to the ground with his heavy trunk and then stamping on him.

A park employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said:

“It is normally a very friendly elephant and Kabelo knew it well and went over to try and get it back in the open gate.

“But they say it just trumpeted and went for him and then stamped on him repeatedly and drove its tusks through him several times killing him instantly and leaving him unrecognisable.

“His colleague was helpless to do anything and is in a terrible way from what he saw and we just don’t know what went wrong but it was all over and done with very quickly.”

Managers at the luxury Big 5 game reserve, where a lodge for two costs between £250 a night to £550 a night, had to break the news to Kabelo’s wife of three years Busi Magagula.

The devastated mother-of-two was said to be “distraught” and posted on Facebook “RIP my lovely husband”.

Tragically the handler was killed by the elephant he trusted on Workers Day (Monday 1 May) when he had kindly volunteered to be on duty so others could take the day off .

A South African Police Service spokesperson said:

”An inquest docket into this tragedy has been opened following the trampling and tusk death of a park handler by an adult bull elephant.

“Preliminary information is he and a colleague were patrolling the camp when they saw a male elephant push open a gate and on seeing it the deceased got out of the vehicle.

“He tried to lure the elephant back into camp when the elephant suddenly turned on him and trampled him and engulfed him with its tusks, and he was declared dead at the scene.

“The investigation is ongoing and our condolences go to all involved.”

African bush elephants kill around 500 people a year and are the biggest land animal in the world. They can stand up to 13 feet tall and weigh 12,500lbs and run at up to 25mph.

Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve is set in 10,000 acres, a 2-and-a-half drive from Cape Town, and is just outside Ceres in the Klein Karoo.

The reserve, which is popular with wealthy tourists, is home to the Big 5 (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard) and herds of elephants were introduced in 2012, although the elephant that attacked the ranger had been there for at least 15 years.

An Inverdoorn spokesperson said:

“It is with great sadness we confirm the tragic death of one of our staff members Kabelo Botha Mashao who was fatally injured by an elephant.

“The elephant had been introduced approximately 15 years ago and we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the Mashao family, his friends and colleagues at this time.

“We are providing support to our staff and all those affected by this terrible loss.”

Aquila Collection which owns and managers Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve stressed that the safety and well-being of staff and guests and wildlife was of the “utmost importance”.

“We are providing support to our staff and all those affected by this terrible loss.”

Neither spokesperson would comment on the future of the bull elephant, nor confirm or deny whether it had been euthanised after it killed one of the most popular handlers at Inverdoorn.

WATCH Kabelo Mashao, pushing back an elephant at a game reserve

There is no suggestion it is the same elephant, but Kabelo had posted this to his Facebook page in 2020.

To use any of the text or photos, please contact Jamie Pyatt News Ltd.