Zimbabwean man trampled to death by elephants in SA

A suspected Zimbabwean elephant handler at a sanctuary near Hartebeespoort Dam in South Africa was trampled to death by the elephants he was working with.

The Beeld reported that the accident happened while the elephants were being taken on their daily exercise programme.

According to a spokesperson for the Elephant Sanctuary, the handler was on the back of one of the elephants when he fell off and was trampled on.

The spokesperson said that the elephants had been playing with each other, exhibiting normal behaviour to each other, when the accident happened and had not attacked the handler.

Paramedics were on the scene within minutes but were unable to save the handler.

The handler had been working almost exclusively with African elephants for four years, the report said.