French couple uninjured after elephant attack

Local tour guide, Jeff Asher-Wood happened to be in the vicinity and came across the couple shortly after the incident had occurred. “When I got there, the young French couple was still in the car, shaken but unhurt,” he said.

“I arranged another car for them and informed the park authorities of the incident,” Asher-Wood added. The couple then joined his tour for the remainder of the day, Zululand Observer reported.

According to Asher-Wood, the couple said they saw the elephant walking on the road as they came around a corner

They started reversing and it moved off the road. They then stopped their vehicle when the elephant was parallel to them, at which point it turned and pushed the vehicle off the road, piercing the driver’s door.

“I feel they should have continued reversing, as the elephant would have moved on. But the mistake they made was to stop,” Asher-Wood said.

The elephant then walked away, uninjured. “I believe this was a case of inexperienced people being at the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

Musa Mntambo, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson, said visitors to the park must remember that it is not a zoo.

“We urge people to remember the animals are wild and can be unpredictable,” he said.

Mntambo went on to say animals, especially elephants, must be enjoyed from a respectable distance, giving them sufficient space to feel comfortable.

The elephant involved in Tuesday’s incident was a bull in musth, which means his testosterone levels were heightened, making him easily provoked.

Mntambo added the incident was the first of its kind to happen at the park.

– Caxton News Service