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US Tourist Killed by Elephant While on a Safari in Zambia
The elephant charged the vehicle the group was in. A woman died and others were injured - https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/04/africa/zambia-elephant-tourist-death-scli-intl/index.html
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Thanks for sharing. Yes, I’ve seen the video of it. It was a Wildernesses Travel safari, a very highly rated company, a bit more luxurious than Tauck. We have considered traveling with them in the past. I was just looking at one of their brochures less than an hour ago while sorting old brochures . These incidents do happen. It was a loan male elephant and could have been in must which makes them more aggressive. It certainly doesn’t deter me from Safaris, I’m more likely to be killed by gunfire here at home.
I looked at Wilderness website, and it looks quite nice. I’m not sure I like the looks of the safari vehicles used in either of the last two week’s elephant attacks. They appear to be trucks with bench seats and no raisable roof. It appears to be just a canvas top. Personally, I like the modified Toyota Land Cruisers with the raisable tops.
This is what I think a safari vehicle should look like.
There is also a company in Berkeley, California by the name of Wilderness Travel. I traveled with them once. It is not the same company as Wilderness Safaris.
Yes, I meant Wilderness Travel. It was in Zambia and those are the type of vehicles used in Southern Africa. Safaris in Southern Africa are very different from East Africa.
We recently traveled in Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Our vehicle was a gorgeous one, similar to the Tauck ones pictured above with excellent air conditioning and microphone and outlets for phones etc, but when we were in the parks, we transferred to the same type of vehicles like one seen in the Elephant attack video.
This is another vehicle we experienced. It was still a modified Toyota Land Cruiser but not as nice as the beige one in the previous picture. It was slightly different and not as comfortable. They had one of the older beige Tauck vehicles and everyone wanted to be in that one. It may not seem important to those who have not done this, but you spend many hours in these vehicles every day. I have seen safari vehicles in Africa that looked like something out of “Mad Max …”, and VW minivans ‘full’ of people. Who you go with is important.
I am happy to hear it is not Wilderness Safaris as we had a wonderful trip in South Africa with them. The reason we are travelling next year with two Tauck back to back trips is that Wilderness Safaris is a lot more expensive than Tauck.
If money is no object, you can get a pretty fancy safari. My dermatologist knows I travel a lot, and was asking for advice. His wife had come up with a trip that cost four thousand a day per person. Have a good time! I’m not sure I could appreciate a trip that offers ‘more’ than a Tauck trip to Africa. I probably don’t own the proper clothes. Actually, I’m thinking about the people on “Death on the Orient Express”.
Actually, I was just thinking about the ‘post’ from someone who thought the Eagle Island Camp in Botswana was far to ‘fancy’ for a safari. Some would rather be in a ‘real tent.
My husband is a dermatologist - Harvard, Johns Hopkins and Stanford trained. If I were to say we’re going on a trip for 4 thousand a day, he would tell me, that I’ve lost my marbles. I’m happy as a clam with Tauck and other companies I travel with. The notice of airfare also factors in the scheme of things.
To me, there’s something incongruous about luxury lodging on an African safari. You’re going there for the animals and nature. You should live close to nature during that time.
The lodging should be safe and reasonably comfortable, but that's about it.
Wow, completely deviated from an elephant encounter
This is a sad story, but the woman died doing something she loved. That’s what I always told myself every time my husband went for a ride on his Harley ( he always came home, but I am happy he sold it ). I have never felt unsafe on safari because the guides and trackers are so well trained and experienced. I trust them. What escapes me in this discussion is the question of raisable v non-raisable roofs. What difference would the roof make if an elephant decided to use his tusks to roll the vehicle as the one did in Zambia? I am not at all mechanical minded so please enlighten me. Oh, and one of the funniest things I ever saw on safari was a silly woman who climbed on her husband’s lap whenever our vehicle got too close to the wildlfe. She was hilarious!
The raisable roof is just a viewing feature. It allows you to stand up and get a better view of the animals rather than through a window, or in a sitting position.
The question is always whether the equipment provided was safe for what it is to be used for. And second, whether the actions taken were safe and well considered. We can't know the answers to those questions from the news reports.
One question I would have is whether the guide/tracker went too close in an effort to allow the guests to get pictures, especially during a time when the bull elephants might have been fighting for dominance. You expect the guide/tracker to take these things into consideration. Losing the opportunity for some pictures is better than losing you life.
Surprisingly, there was a male elephant that charged a vehicle while we were on safari this past December in Bandhavgarh National Park (India). It wasn't a Tauck safari vehicle, but we were very close. The elephant did quite a bit of damage to the vehicle. Luckily no one was hurt. It can happen anywhere.
There is a video of the incident. The area has quite a few bushes and trees. You can see the lone male elephant a very long way off start to run and charge. The driver clearly had no time or really anywhere to turn his vehicle to make a quick escape. A passenger in the vehicle was filming right up to when the elephant hit the vehicle, that’s the amazing thing. I guess they thought it would stop!
I absolutely get your point SandyFeet, there would have been no difference, open vehicle or not and there are no seat belts in the vehicles anyway. Our safari vehicle we had on our recent trip had seatbelts which we all had to use by law but when we were in most of the parks, we were transferred to open vehicles which had none.
Don’t get me started about school buses not having seat belts as that is another diversion and conversation.
Did you see this video of another Bull Elephant the week before? Thankfully no one was killed, but very scary.
Yes saw that one. Our close up incident was when a young bull desert elephant came up to our vehicle on our first visit to Namibia in 2018 and wrapped his trunk round the roof bars just inches from my face and looked us in the eye, I spoke gently to him, he was there for several minutes. I have great photos but no longer post them since I showed the photo to a fellow Tauck traveler on a tour in Italy and she worked for a magazine, she took great interest and was anxious for me to forward it to her. I was suspicious she wanted to steal it for publication so I ‘forgot’ to do it. Interestingly, on our trip to Namibia last November, I asked about my elephant and apparently he kept showing great interest in tourists and was eventually relocated. Desert elephants are very scarce, so they are easily recognized and generally hang around the same area depending on the time of year and vegetation availability for eating.
I suspect that in both incidents those were ‘park’ vehicles. Tauck leases their own vehicles and drivers, and they do have seat belts but they are seldom used due to the constant up and down for observation. I once wanted to use the seatbelt when we took off for a leopard siting location at maximum speed on a one lane road with two way traffic. The driver had amazing driving skills, but I could not ‘let go’ for long enough to get the seatbelt on. It’s pretty exciting doing the Indy 500 on a one lane dirt road. We were not the only vehicle in that race. I was curious so I did a little research. The odds of getting killed on safari are one in eighty thousand. On average one tourist is killed every two years.
SeaLord. Many parks will not allow your own vehicles. Even if they are Tauck ones.
So interesting to know only two people a year 😳
I think he said one tourist killed every two years (on average), not two people a year.
But even one every two years is one too many, especially if they're part of your family.
That’s true Mike. But, without flogging the statistics I’m betting you and yours are safer on safari in Africa than just day to day living in Chicago, or New York, or most other big cities. Many of the camps do not have lockable doors, and things rarely ‘disappear’. I feel totally safe on safari unless I’m traveling with someone from Malibu. (;-) Not really kidding … there’s a story there.
This is the video of the event. and Marlon Du Toit a famous safari photographer and CEO of TandaAfrica did explain what happen.
He was not with the group but knows the Safari company well.
This is Marlon Du Toit a Legend ;
Marlon du Toit, a passionate co-founder, director, and safari guide at Tanda Afrika, has dedicated nearly 20 years to the travel and tourism industry. His unwavering curiosity drives him to explore our natural world, and he always keeps a camera close at hand to capture its breathtaking moments. Growing up in a small town within South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Marlon’s DNA is infused with a love for wildlife. His father’s influence instilled a deep appreciation for nature photography from a young age, leading him to seek proximity to animals like warthogs, impalas, elephants, hippos, and lions.
Marlon’s lens has graced award-winning TV shows such as The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The NBC Today Show, and The Martha Stewart Show. His captivating photography and travel experiences have been featured in international magazines, including National Geographic. Through exclusive safaris and a growing online audience, Marlon shares authentic encounters with nature, leaving a lasting impact on those who join him on these adventures. He also represents esteemed international brands like Panerai, Sony Alpha, and Swarovski Optik.
Marlon’s mission extends beyond recognition; he aims to positively impact our natural world. His wish? To witness nature flourish once more, ensuring that future generations can revel in the company of lions and elephants, just as he has.
I'll be doing a walking photographic safari with him next 2025