According to local authorities, a well-known South African game hunter died on Friday when an elephant ravaged by gunshots collapsed on him at a Zimbabwe animal reserve.
During a 10-day hunting trip with several clients, 51-year-old big game hunter Theunis Botha “unknowingly” came across a herd of breeding elephants near Hwange National Park, according to park spokesman Simukai Nyasha.
According to South Africa’s News24, Botha’s group spooked the herd, and three elephant cows charged at them, prompting Botha to open fire on the animals.
From the side, a fourth cow charged at the group, lifting Botha up with its trunk. One of the group’s members fired shots at the elephant, causing it to collapse on Botha and crush him to death.
Zimbabwe Parks did not immediately respond to NBC News‘ requests for comment.
According to the company’s website, Botha and his wife, Carike, have run Theunis Botha Big Safaris since 1983, with private hunting ranches in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Botha boasted about his mastery of “traditional European Style Driven Monteria hunts in South Africa,” which employ “hounds” to round up big game for hunter clients.
The company displayed photos and videos of many of Botha’s safari hunts and billed him as a “passionate and professional hunting outfitter operation” that provided “clients with a one-of-a-kind exciting African safari experience.”
According to the company’s website, his first client was a Montana man who came to South Africa to hunt a leopard, and Botha took pride in the fact that the man “got his cat.”
According to News24, Botha’s wife is expected to travel to Zimbabwe on Monday to identify her husband’s body and return him to South Africa for funeral services. He leaves behind five children.
Botha’s death drew a large number of negative comments on social media from people who oppose big game hunting.
Botha’s friend Scott van Zyl was killed by crocodiles in Zimbabwe last month. Van Zyl, 44, went missing on April 7 while on a hunt at the Chikwaraka camp in Zimbabwe.
During the extensive search for Van Zyl, his backpack was discovered on the banks of the Limpopo River, and two crocodiles were shot. DNA tests were performed on stomach contents samples taken from the crocodiles, and the results matched his.
Part of a Cat boot, similar to the one Van Zyl was wearing when he vanished, was discovered in the stomach of a third crocodile shot on April 14.
