South African Big Game Hunter Crushed to Death After Elephant Fell on Top of Him

A prolific South African big game hunter was killed over the weekend after an elephant was shot and fell on top of him at a game reserve in Zimbabwe.

Theunis Botha, 51, was leading a group of hunters when the group accidentally walked in the middle of a breeding herd of elephants at the Good Luck farm near Hwange National park last Friday afternoon.

Three elephants stormed the hunters and Botha was forced to shoot at them. This prompted a fourth elephant to storm from the side and lift him with her trunk.

In response, a member of Mr. Botha hunting team shot the elephant which collapsed dead on top of the highly regarded hounds-man.

Mr. Botha frequently led leopard and lion hunting safaris with his pack of dogs.

According to his company site, the Game Hounds Safaris, he pioneered traditional European-style “Monteria Hunts” in southern Africa.

Mr. Botha was close friends with Scott van Zyl, 44, who was killed by crocodiles while on a hunt at the Chikwara camp in Zimbabwe last month.

Last year a tourist, Stephen Coetzee was trampled to death by a female elephant in Hwange National Park.