Jumbo Tramples Man to Death
Thursday, 16th of August 2007

By Wezi Tjaronda

WINDHOEK

An elephant trampled a 60-year-old man to death along the Ugab River last Saturday.

The victim, David Tjangura from Uis district in the Erongo Region, was killed between 15h00 and 16h00 on Saturday while on his way to fetch his goats. The incident happened on Okaepe Farm, the police said.

Ugab River forms the boundary between Kunene and Erongo regions and it sustains a wildlife population that includes the desert elephant.

The Deputy Director of Parks and Wildlife Management in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Colgar Sikopo, told New Era yesterday that the deceased was going to fetch his goats when he saw an elephant and turned back only to run into a herd.

“We suspect it is a female elephant among the herd which was maybe protecting calves that must have killed him,†said Sikopo.

The police, however, said Tjangura drove his goats to the river to drink water when an elephant attacked him.

Erongo police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Sydney Philander, said the police have opened an inquest docket into the incident.

This is the first incident of this nature to happen in the Kunene Region this year.

Similar incidents have happened in the Caprivi Region.

Sikopo said ministry officials are investigating whether the elephants are still in the area and whether they pose a threat.

If the elephant can be identified and is still a threat, Sikopo said the animal would be put to sleep.

“Destroying the ele-phant will depend on the outcome of the investigations,†he said.

The ministry will through the Game Products Trust Fund (GPTF) give the family of the deceased a N$5 000 funeral assistance.

He sent his condolences to the family of the deceased.

Kunene Region has between 800 and 1 000 resident elephants and shares a population of about 3 000 with Etosha.