Listen to your tour guide! This warning was issued after a French tourist was injured by a female elephant in the North West on Sunday.

According to a media statement issued by Thomas Matlapeng of the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, the incident occurred at the Impodimo Game Lodge in the Madikwe Game Reserve.

Matlapeng says tourists who were taking photographs followed a herd of elephants against the advice of their guide, who warned that the females could get angry because calves were present.

When the tourists were around 10m from the animals, a female elephant turned and charged. The man slipped and was trampled by the elephant, sustaining a broken rib, a dislocated right knee and a fractured right leg.

The statement says warning shots were fired and the tourist was stabilised before being airlifted to a Johannesburg hospital, where he is reportedly in a stable condition.

Caxton Local Media contacted Madikwe Game Reserve for comment, but had received none by the time of publishing.

Bitsa Lenkopane, the North West MEC of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, has wished the man a speedy recovery and congratulated the guides for their swift action.

However, she appeals to guests entering parks to follow the safety procedures and protocols for their safety.

• The tourist who was injured during the elephant attack has reached out to Caxton Network News wishing to state his version of events. You can read it here.

*The article has been amended since it was first publish to reflect the injured tourist reached out to Caxton Network News.

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