A Spanish tourist has been killed while trying to photograph elephants up close. It happened in Pilanesberg Natural Park in South Africa's North West province, CNN reported on Wednesday (10 July).

On the morning of Sunday 7 July, the Spanish tourist went there with three friends to see wildlife. After they entered through the park gate, they saw a herd of elephants. To take photos up close, the tourist left his friends, got out of the car and went towards the herd.

Despite everyone's warnings, he ran towards the herd with his camera. One elephant then charged at him, and the whole herd came running behind it. The Spanish tourist could not escape, and the elephant that charged first trampled him.

Alerted by eyewitnesses, an ambulance took him to hospital, but the local administration and his friends could not save him.

In a statement issued by the North West Parks and Tourism Board on Monday 8 July, CEO Thami Mashego said clearly that the elephant knocked down the tourist, who had run towards it with a camera, and then went into the bushes.

Eyewitnesses said the herd had several calves. Seeing the Spanish tourist running towards them, the female elephant came forward to protect the young and knocked him down.

Citing CNN.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.