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The Kruger National Park is safe and open to the public, this is despite a South African National Parks (SANParks) field ranger being severely injured by an elephant in the southwestern part of the park, on Tuesday.
SANParks says a preliminary report suggests that the injured ranger was patrolling the Pretoriuskop section with colleagues when a breeding herd crossed the road in front of them.
SANParks spokesperson, Ike Phaahla says one of the elephants turned back and charged at the field Ranger, which resulted in him sustaining serious injuries.
He says colleagues managed to rescue him by firing a warning shot at the elephant which then ran off. A helicopter with a doctor and support team on board immediately responded, stabilising the ranger.
Paahla told Algoa FM News that the park is safe as the incident happened far from tourist roads.
Reacting to the incident, the Head Ranger Catherine Dreyer expressed relief that the Field Ranger was not fatally wounded and was quickly attended to.
“These are the daily dangers that we face in protecting our natural heritage and the Park from all wildlife crime. The possibility of being attacked by a dangerous wild animal is always present; and in some instances, unavoidable,
especially with the bush being so thick during this time of the year.
She says the thick bush makes it difficult to see animals from a distance and have sufficient time to react.
"We are grateful though that we managed to stabilise our colleague and transport him to a hospital, and we have him and his family in our prayers. We would also like to thank all Field Rangers who were with him at the time and
assisted in stabilizing and transporting him under very difficult conditions," Dreyer added.
In July this year, a leopard was put down at Kruger Shalati after it attacked a staffer who was en route to work.
The worker fought off the leopard and it later was euthanised.
