Why Did They Have To Kill The Elephant?

[trt]

They are wild animals and its the humans who are trespassing on their turf.

It makes me so mad when these beautiful animals are on the decline.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2537114/British-teacher-terrifying-ordeal-bull-elephant-filming-Kruger-National-Park-charges-vehicle-gorging-leg-tusk.html

[browntrout]

Because they want the cash generated by tourists of course. animals that get uppity will get shot every time.

[jomifl]

Having been in a minibus in a game park in kenya I can only say that anyone who gets within two hundred yards of a bull elephant in any kind of vehicle smaller than a tank is suicidal.

[browntrout]

They could have auctioned off the right to shoot it. like they did with that Rhino the other day. win win that way.

[jomifl]

The wife of an aquaintance of mine was trampled to death by an elephant but that didn't make the news (no video available I suppose).

[boxtops]

Is it the case that once the elephant has decided that cars are fun to trample, no visitor would be safe in the future? I too am sad - it's their place to be there, not ours.

[B00]

"They could have auctioned off the right to shoot it. like they did with that Rhino the other day. win win that way. "

Apart from the elephant!

[browntrout]

True, Boo.

[Mamyalynne]

Very sad all round.

The elephant was already injured, may have been part of their decision...

//It also had an injury, which is believed to have increased its aggressiveness.//

[hellywelly4]

But why were they driving so close to it. Ridiculous. It's Africa, elephants are wild. Keep well clear of them.
I lived in Kenya for 3 years and to see them in the wild is wonderful, but you always kept at a safe distance, and made sure you didn't frighten them.
So sorry they shot it.

[flump1]

Sad for the poor majestic beast. They will justify shooting it .

[anotheoldgit]

yes very sad that such a magnificent animal had to die, but once again so easy to criticise from the safety of one's armchair, we were not there.

Did the Game Warden have any other option? this was a very large injured animal running amok, and I don't suppose he had any stun ammunition available, who knows.

/// Another of the animals was shot dead earlier in December when it charged at traffic officers. It had apparently ignored warning shots. ///

[emmie]

they need to have better vehicles if they take people out into the wild to see wild life, the vehicle didn't look particularly safe, and others filming the attack, strange they wouldn't have sounded the horns, anything to try and distract it. It says the animal had a higher level of testosterone due to the mating season, if so then surely the people who run these tours should learn their craft over what is safe for the people in their care.
poor elephants, poached for the ivory and this and another one shot, when will they learn, these are wild animals and should be treated as such, i have sympathy for the person hurt, but more for the elephants

[emmie]

was it injured?

[emmie]

it doesn't say what sort of injury, perhaps from another elephant encroaching on it's herd.

Park officials later shot the elephant which was in musth, a periodic condition in males that makes them aggressive when their testosterone levels rise by up to 60 times. It also had an injury, which is believed to have increased its aggressiveness.

[Peter Pedant]

Oh it was in mush....sort of getting in heat for men

horrific video of an elephant attacking a granstand (with people inside) on u-tube if anyone wants


why didnt they shoot the people in the car
that's what I want to know....

[Peter Pedant]

#must#

mush is better as it was mushing the car