My friend Nigel Theisen sent me a Whatsapp message that Derek Hurt got hammered by a leopard. He did not know details but that Derek is in hospital in Nairobi.

Seems like the year of the leopard. Best wishes for a rapid recovery.

I was just apprised that his injuries are quite serious.

Another good man down. Hope not too serious.

I recall his dad having a run-in with a wounded leopard.

They need better family activities!

Best wishes to him.

I look foreword to hearing more about this.

Another leopard accident ...please details .

I guess that is why they call dangerous game hunting . My hopes for a speedy recovery

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I was just apprised that his injuries are quite serious.

Lane,

A mauling from a Leopard can give rise to two scenarios:

- injuries to face (eyes) and neck (jugular/carotid)- the cat will attempt to bite the head/neck area;

- lower stomach/genital/inner thigh area are the main scratch areas - while gripping with its forelegs, its rear assembly is doing some serious gouging.

Combine the above with the Leopard's habits of feeding off putrid carrion, neglecting to rinse its mouth with Listerine after a meal, gives rise to extremely high possibilities of infection from septicemia.

The services of the Nairobi Hospital are probably well warranted.

Pole Sana - I wish him well.

I wish him all the best and a full recovery.

I don't have much detail as I always like to give a guy and his family some peace when something like this happens but when I spoke to Jonathan Howells - the RHS Director - the evening it occurred, he assured me Derek's injuries were NOT serious. He had been bitten on the hand and elbow area and had a claw puncture on his skull. On further checks at the hospital it appears he had a fractured/broken forearm as well?

I will try get an update.

quote:

Originally posted by Bwanamich:
I don't have much detail as I always like to give a guy and his family some peace when something like this happens but when I spoke to Jonathan Howells - the RHS Director - the evening it occurred, he assured me Derek's injuries were NOT serious. He had been bitten on the hand and elbow area and had a claw puncture on his skull. On further checks at the hospital it appears he had a fractured/broken forearm as well?

I will try get an update.

Thank you Bwanamich.

I talked with Robin this morning via e-mail. He said Derek was doing well. The main problem is arm (specifically the elbow) and he has had 3 surgeries on it already...according to Robin.

Anyway...I had initially heard there was extensive injury to the neck and skull...but these wounds have appeared to be downgraded.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I talked with Robin this morning via e-mail. He said Derek was doing well. The main problem is arm (specifically the elbow) and he has had 3 surgeries on it already...according to Robin.

Anyway...I had initially heard there was extensive injury to the neck and skull...but these wounds have appeared to be downgraded.

Thats a relief and hope he gets fixed up proper for next season.

Best wishes to Derek for his full recovery. Leopards are buzz saws when wounded. Though I am sure this was bad enough, we can only thank God it was not far worse.

Glad he's not badly hurt. Wish him a swift recovery.

Below from an email from the TPHA Secretary:

Dear Members,

Many of you may have heard that Derek Hurt was unfortunately mauled by a leopard, I understand that he is doing well and on the road to recovery, and we of course wish him all the very best.

Please read from Robin Hurt below.

Regards
Mike



Greetings from Gamsberg / Namibia and Tanzania .


I have some unfortunate ( and fortunate ) news to share with you . Yesterday morning in our Luganzo ( known to some of you as Niensi ) concession in West Tanzania , my son Derek was badly mauled by a very large wounded leopard male .
I wanted you to hear directly from me before the " bongo drums " and " bush telegraph " catch up with you giving all sorts of distorted rumours !
Roughly , from what I have heard directly on the telephone from Derek in Nairobi Hospital this morning is this :

Derek and fellow PH Oliver Barton , were hunting with old clients of Derek's , from Austria . A very nice father and son team , both experienced hunters . Derek and his client , the father had already taken a good leopard in our Mlele concession . They moved to Luganzo for a change of camp a few days ago . Derek on a previous safari , had had a huge leopard feeding , so he re baited the same place , in the hopes of a " hit " for the son . The leopard fed on the bait , and Derek informed Oliver and his client , who then went to sit in the blind for the " Chui " . Yesterday morning , Derek and his client were sitting in a machan platform blind , looking for Sitatunga in the swamp . This was a short distance from Oliver and his client , and a rifle shot was heard quite early in the morning . Obviously from the direction of the leopard bait , after waiting some time , Derek and the father began to feel something had gone wrong , so the made radio contact with Oliver's car , only to told the leopard was a runner . Oliver came on radio , as as is normal when two PHs are together on safari , joined forces to look for the wounded cat .
It was apparent straight away that there was very little blood . But , they took up the trail , which led them a long distance of almost 2 kilometres through open Miombo ( Brachestesia ) woodland . The blood dried up , so they resorted to following the hard to see tracks , a painstakingly slow process . Then they found where the leopard had run , having obviously seen the hunters approaching from some distance in the open forest . They continued to follow as best they could and lost the tracks . Casting around , one of the trackers picked up tracks again , and some discussion took place as to whether this was the wounded cat . Derek got a brief glimpse of the cat bolting , about 30 yds away out of a clump of grass . Here they found fresh blood again . The spoor showed the leopard had then bolted across an open " Mbuga " ( plain ) , towards a longish stand of long grass , that had remained unburnt .
One of the trackers spotted the cat on top of an ant hill , in the long grass , watching his pursuers . Before any one could shoot , the cat slipped off the ant hill and into the long grass out of sight .
Oliver and Derek conferred with the two Govt Game Scouts amd Trackers , and then decided on a course of action in the interests of finishing the job a quickly as possible , and to not prolong the leopards suffering . They called up a hunting car over a hand held radio . Oliver was placed on a strategic ant hill overlooking the grass , while Derek and two trackers got into the back of the Cruiser , to have a vantage point and started to drive slowly though the long grass . As expected , the leopard was still in the long grass . From a few feet away , the leopard grunted and launched himself up at Derek . Lighting fast . Having no time for any deliberate shooting , Derek fired a hasty shot with his .470 , which missed . The rifle was knocked out of Derek's hands and the leopard latched onto Derek's head and elbow , biting completely through the arm / elbow and breaking the bone . Derek now fought off the leopard as best he could with his left hand and by kicking him in the stomach . The one tracker got slightly clawed in the melee , and the other one sensibly jumped out the car . As quickly as the leopard jumped into the back of the car , in seconds after chewing Derek , jumped back into the grass . Derek saw it dashing through the grass in Oliver's direction , who was about 80 yds away , shouted a warning , and as the leopard bolted past Oliver's position , he bowled it over with both barrels of his .470 . Dead .
It was apparent that Derek was badly injured , so they got on the Satellite telephone to Arusha office and Nairobi . They then went back to camp straight away , with Derek bandaged up in the field . David Markham and Jonathan Howells immediately and efficiently arranged for the flying doctor to fly to Luganzo and collect Derek . To cut a long story short , he arrived in Nairobi at 6 pm , where my son in law Simon Horner had kindly arranged for an ambulance and Doctor . On arrival at Nairobi Hospital , my two daughters Sasha and Hilary were waiting with medical staff. Simon , Sasha and Hilly all phoned me to say Derek was in good spirits , all things being considered , but in a lot of pain , and that his arm was broken . That was the BAD news ! The GOOD news was that the other clawing he received in the head was not serious . None of the injuries were life threatening , even though he had lost a lot of blood . The other GOOD news was that it could have been much much worse !
Derek and all the Hurt family were lucky . He was operated on last night to clean the wounds .
Today he is on pain killers and antibiotics , and having scans on his arm and elbow to access the damage . . On Saturday he will undergo another operating to pin his broken arm . Meanwhile they are keeping the wounds clean .
Having talked to Derek by phone this morning , I found him to be positive about his predicament . He is in good hands in Nairobi Hospital , well looked after , with his wife Belinda and two children , and other members of the Hurt family on hand . He was upbeat about the leopard , describing him as " huge brute " and " monster " . From all accounts a huge male of massive proportions . Derek attached no blame to anyone or indeed the leopard . He was totally without any rancour .
He understood after a life time involvement with big game , numerous follow ups on wounded leopard , the risks involved . That wounded leopards will defend themselves and attack vigorously , with out warning . He was most grateful to his Kenya family for the rally around support in Nairobi , the flying Doctor service and the Robin Hurt teams in Kenya and Tanzania .
In camp the leopard was examined , and the first shot was just below the heart , cutting the brisket , and narrowly missing the vitals , and breaking no limbs . The cat had moved slightly just as the shot went off . No ones fault - just an unfortunate incident .
Derek is now the latest member of an exclusive club - " THE CHEWED BY CHUI CLUB " .
He is anxious to get back into the bush , but that may be a little while yet . Meanwhile , we thank God for the best possible outcome that could have been so much worse .
Regards ,
Robin and Pauline

and there is the reason why that little 100# puddy crat is one of the big 5. while i haven't talked with robin for quite a while i know that his son has the moxy to be chasing chui again soon

Many ,many leopards attacks ,i dont know if we are hunting more or invading their territory but i herd of several attacks during 2014

Robin,

We wish Derek a quick recovery. Glad he decided to take in the car.

Sincere wishes for an early recovery.

I've hunted for leopard in my dumb and happy years, and clearly my PH was far more worried in the blind when if came up behind us in the dark than I was.

He of course understood the situation better than me. He seemed highly relieved when it left and never went after the bait. (Maybe my shooting prowess did not impress him.)

We all wish him a quick and complete recovery.

I spent 48 hours in emergency care in Nairobi Hospital. It's a good hospital.

Good to hear Derek is on the mend. I knew him 20 plus years ago when he was at Lackham college in Wiltshire along with other Zimbabwean friends of mine. The chaos and fun those guys caused was legendary!