Safari ranger gored to death by massive elephant after it opened gate and fled

02 May 2023 , 20:05

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Tragic elephant handler Kabelo Botha Mashao, 36, who was trampled and gored to death by a trusted elephant he knew well (Image: Facebook)

A safari ranger has been brutally gored to death by a massive elephant after the beast opened a gate and fled.

Elephant handler Kabelo Mashao was said to have been on patrol at the park at Inverdoorn Private Nature Reserve, South Africa at the time.

It was during patrol that the 36-year-old reportedly witnessed an elephant use its trunk to release a gate catch and escape.

Mr Mashao, a dad-of-two, is said to have told the colleague he was in the jeep with to stay put as he approached the massive animal.

It is said he knew the elephant in question well, and had been trying to lure it back to its enclosure when it became spooked.

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Kabelo worked at Inverdoorn Private Game Reserve near Ceres, South Africa (Facebook)

The elephant reportedly charged Mr Mashao, knocking him to the ground and repeatedly speering him with its long tusks.

The dad died in the frenzied attack, being gored “several times” The Sun reported, and he was left "unrecognisable" after the brutal attack, a park employee said.

A park employee told the outlet: “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.

The dad had volunteered to work the day he died, to let others take the day off (Facebook)

“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 Five game reserve where a lodge for two cost between £250 a night to £550 a night had to break the news to Kabelo’s wife of three years, Busi Magagula, The Daily Star reports.

Mr Mashao pictured with hsi wife Busi on the back of an elephant with one of his sons (Facebook)

Mr Mashao’s partner, Busi Magagula, posted a number of pictures of him on Facebook in tribute, sharing the simple message: “RIP my lovely husband."

He had only been working Monday because he had volunteered to work on the country’s Workers Day, a public holiday, so others could take it off.

African bush elephants kill some 500 people a year and are the biggest land animal in the world, standing at up to 13 feet tall and weighing around 12,500lbs.

South African Police Service have reportedly opened an investigation into the tragic death.

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They have been approached for comment along with Inverdoorn Private Nature Reserve.

Kieren Williams