Alleged Poacher Trampled Dead By Elephant In Restricted South African National Park

A man suspected to be an elephant poacher in a South African national park was found dead on Thursday, Oct. 21, after he was reportedly stomped and killed by an elephant.

The man, whose identity was not revealed to the press, was found after an anonymous tip-off that prompted the park rangers to search the area. His body was found inside a restricted area in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, without a weapon in his person, according to Tuko.

“Nothing was found except that body,” a statement from the park said. “We believe that he was trampled by elephants due to the nature of the injuries he sustained.”

He is believed to have been abandoned by his accomplices after the elephant stomped him to death. After a thorough exploration, park rangers confirmed that no animals in the area were harmed by the suspected poacher and his accomplices, according to the New York Daily News.

Poaching in the Kruger National Park has been a significant problem in the area. Located west of the Lebombo Mountains, the park covers over two million hectares of land and numerous types of diverse animals and plant life, some of which are endangered.

Kruger National Park is cracking down on wildlife crimes against poachers, as experts worry about the population of different endangered animals in the area. A 30 percent increase in arrests on crimes like poaching came in response to these worries, according to USA Today.

“The campaign against poaching is the responsibility of all us; it threatens many livelihoods, destroys families and takes much-needed resources to fight crime which could be used for creating jobs and development,” Gareth Coleman, managing executive of the park, said.

The local population of rhinos has decreased to under 4,000, a 70 percent drop compared to the population of rhinos in the past decade. Meanwhile, elephants close to the park are evolving to be tuskless in order to avoid the sights of ivory poachers, surviving at a higher rate than elephants with tusks.

Kruger National Park has warned against any future poachers attempting to take the lives of endangered animals, saying “Criminals stand to lose their lives and freedom.”