ELEPHANT TRAMPLES TOURISTS – LIVINGSTONE
While trying to take pics close to a wild elephant, two tourists were trampled to death in Zambia on Saturday.
According to the news portal, Traveller24 a 64-year-old Dutchman and a 57-year-old Belgium woman were on safari at Maramba River Lodge in Livingstone. They were trying to get close to the animal to take pictures, which led to the elephant charging the woman.
Police spokesperson Danny Mwale said they found the bodies lying on the ground with multiple injuries.
The Senior Wildlife Warden for the southern region Lewis Daka told the Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) that the man tried to save the woman but also got trampled. His department is urging lodge owners to provide guides to visitors to make sure that tourists don’t get so close to the animals.
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Maramba River Lodge – a registered Zambian lodge – is a popular self-catering and camping tourist facility situated near to the Zambezi river approximately half way between Livingstone town and the Victoria Falls Rainforest. The wildlife numbers in and around both Livingstone Zambia and Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side has become much more prevalent in recent times as poaching has decreased, due to a lot of work by anti-poaching teams.
The upside to having this wildlife close, including elephant and buffalo, is that it creates a great experience for the visiting tourists. The downside is of course that there is always a danger that people, not used to having these animals around will get to close to them.
As wildlife numbers around the towns increase it is vital for tourist facilities to educate tourists on the dangers of wildlife, with signs, safety talks and even on arrival at the airport or border posts. It is also important for tourists and locals to keep to the main roads when walking between different parts of town.
VF24.com Editor 5
