A 39-year-old man was trampled to death by an elephant while walking on foot inside his private game reserve in South Africa.
FC Conradie, the chief executive and co-owner of the Gondwana private game reserve near Mossel Bay, was walking near the elephants when one of them charged and inflicted fatal injuries, reported The Times.
Conradie is survived by his wife and three children. He was found dead at the scene after paramedics were called shortly after 8 am on Tuesday. The elephant had moved away by the time emergency services arrived.
The circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation, but early witness accounts suggest similarities to a fatal elephant attack at the same reserve last year, when a guide was trampled to death.
Guests at Gondwana, a five-star game reserve located along the Western Cape’s popular Garden Route, had previously been warned about elephants breaking through fences into camp areas, the report added.
Photographs on Conradie’s social media accounts show him on foot, taking pictures near elephants. He held a degree in zoology and an MBA, and described himself as “passionate about nature and an obsessive traveller”.
Second fatal elephant attack hits South African game reserve
Last year, David Kandela, 36, a guide at Gondwana, was killed by an elephant. At the time, the reserve said that there “was an inherent risk in working closely with wild animals”, and added, “The herd [of elephants], docile in nature, had nearly passed through the camp when David encountered the last elephant, just before the tragic event occurred.”
{{/usCountry}}Last year, David Kandela, 36, a guide at Gondwana, was killed by an elephant. At the time, the reserve said that there “was an inherent risk in working closely with wild animals”, and added, “The herd [of elephants], docile in nature, had nearly passed through the camp when David encountered the last elephant, just before the tragic event occurred.”
{{/usCountry}}Conradie was remembered as someone who loved his elephants and believed he shared a special bond with them, though those close to him acknowledged that animals in reserves remain wild and unpredictable.
“FC was a great guy to work for and he loved his elephants which were his favourite and he felt he had a trust with them but you have to never forget they may live in a reserve but are wild. He will be greatly missed by all here,” The Sun quoted a source as saying.
A spokesman said Conradie was “a passionate conservationist” whose leadership helped make Gondwana one of South Africa’s top private game reserves.
“FC Conradie was a passionate conservationist whose vision and leadership established us as one of South Africa's leading private game reserves. His unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation, community upliftment, and sustainable tourism left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of working with him,” the spokesperson added.