this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2024
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A Spanish tourist has been trampled to death by elephants in a South African national park after apparently trying to take pictures of a breeding herd that included three calves.

The 43-year-old man was killed on Sunday morning at Pilanesberg national park about 130 miles (210km) north-west of Johannesburg.

According to park officials, the man, who was with three friends, climbed out of his vehicle and walked towards the animals to take photos.

“Despite warnings from his fellow passengers, and occupants from two other vehicles that were at the sighting, he unfortunately did not heed their warnings,” the North West province’s parks and tourism board said in a statement.

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[–] poo@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Funny tourists go home! became such a popular sentiment among the spanish, while also out doing stupid shit in other countries, as a tourist.

Maybe "tourists go home" was what the elephants were trumpeting as he got trampled to death

[–] Mereo@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What in the actual f*&%:

According to park officials, the man, who was with three friends, climbed out of his vehicle and walked towards the animals to take photos.

So tourists think that they are domesticated animals?! They're not dogs. Respect nature.

[–] Jumpingspiderman@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

We were recently in Wyoming/Montana etc. where the moose and the buffalo roam. We saw people try for their Darwin awards by approaching these wild animals more than once. I feel sorry for their families. But if there ever was a FAFO situation, this is it.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If you watch fail videos, people constantly pick up wild animals and try to pet or kiss them. It’s very strange.

[–] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The ducks in the park are free. You can just take them home.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

My sister in law is from China—my brother moved there, got married, and they moved to the US. Apparently they had a very long conversation about wild geese in the park that went “wait, you’re telling me that all this free meat is here and not one person is taking any home?” for some time before she believed that people just like to watch the geese.

[–] vaionko@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago

If not friend then why friend shaped?

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

I didn’t have to read the article to know that this was someone being an idiot. Reading the article confirmed that.

[–] NeptuneOrbit@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Better than squirt guns

(sad story, I know, but oddly similar to the story out of Barcelona this week......)

[–] ShepherdPie@midwest.social 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That was literally the last post I read before this one. In Spain they're protesting to end tourism. In Africa they're trampling Spanish tourists.

[–] FangedWyvern42@lemmy.world 8 points 1 year ago

Darwin Award winner spotted.

[–] Hotspur@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 year ago

I saw possibly these same elephants a year ago during a visit to pilanesbirg, and they were majestic and gorgeous. Our guide was very experienced and was very clear with us that the elephants didn’t want trouble with us, but that they will knock over cars and charge people if they feel like their babies are under threat. We saw some tourists in private cars try and drive up close to a mother helping two babies (calves I guess?) across the road, and she turned on the jeep, stamped and made a very impressive trumpet blare (basically her being like FUCK YOU, BACK OFF) before walking back off.

I feel bad for the guy, and it’s a sad story, but having seen one of these herds, and seeing how incredibly large and powerful they were, I cannot imaging trying to walk up to them or approach them in any way.

Seeing animals like these elephants was a humbling experience for me that drove home that we are small, and probably not as special as we like to think. I locked eyes with one while they were eating a tree and I don’t know how to describe it, but it felt like looking at another human—my brain had no doubt that this was a highly intelligent sentient creature. I would rate this visit to pilanesburg as probably one of the most memorable and impactful experiences I’ve ever had.

[–] ZombieMantis@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

Tragic, and very stupid.

Listen to your guides, folks. It's for your own safety.

[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Play elephant games, win elephant prizes

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You're on the African savanna. Don't get out of the fucking car. Even if the elephants don't trample you, there's lions and hyenas and stuff. Just fucking stupid.

[–] meleethecat@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Never get out of the boat!

[–] JesusTheCarpenter@feddit.uk 4 points 1 year ago

Elephants are also tired of those pesky tourists.

[–] mineralfellow@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I did some work on the geology of Pilanesburg a few years back. To walk around outside the vehicles, we had two armed rangers accompanying us, both to keep us and the animals safe. It is unimaginable to think of approaching a herd of elephants on foot.

[–] bigFab@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

following the steps of his former king

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 0 points 1 year ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:


A Spanish tourist has been trampled to death by elephants in a South African national park after apparently trying to take pictures of a breeding herd that included three calves.

The 43-year-old man was killed on Sunday morning at Pilanesberg national park about 130 miles (210km) north-west of Johannesburg.

Pieter Nel, the board’s chief conservation officer, told Agence France-Presse that the matriarch of the herd had attacked after becoming “agitated” by the man’s approach.

The board offered its condolences to the dead man’s family and friends, saying it was “very saddened by this tragic incident”.

Last year 50 people were killed and 85 injured by wild animals – mostly elephants – in neighbouring Zimbabwe, according to local authorities.

The central government’s representative to the region told La Vanguardia that consular staff were travelling to the scene of the accident to take possession of the man’s body and repatriate it.


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