A BRITISH tourist and her friend have been killed by an elephant while on a walking safari in Zambia today, cops said.
The Brit and her pal, from New Zealand, were tragically attacked by a female elephant that was a calf at South Luangwa National Park.
GettyThe horror incident occurred at South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.[/caption]
Getty – ContributorSafari guides who were with the group fired shots at the rampaging elephant to stop it from charging at the victims[/caption]
Safari guides who were with the group fired shots at the rampaging elephant to stop it from charging at the victims.
The elephant was hit with the bullets and wounded, but guides were unable to prevent the attack and both women tragically died at the scene, cops said.
The South Luangwa National Park sits in eastern Zambia, roughly 370 miles from the capital Lusaka.
Female elephants are renowned for being extremely protective of their babies and can respond with aggression to what they may see as threats.
Last year, two tourists from the US were killed in separate encounters with elephants in Zambia.
The elderly women were on safari vehicles when they were attacked.
In January, a Spanish tourist has been killed by an elephant she was bathing at a sanctuary in Thailand.
Blanca Ojanguren García, 22, was washing the animal when it gruesomely drove its tusk into her.
The attack caused injuries from which Blanca could not be saved and the student later died.
Blanca was bathing the animal at Koh Yao Elephant Care centre on the island of Yao Yai, Clarin reports.
She reportedly passed in front of the animal when it attacked.
Blanca, from Valladolid in northwest Spain, was a student at the University of Navarra and was in Thailand travelling.
She was with her boyfriend at the time.
Navarra University said it “expresses its sorrow” for García’s death and “shares the grief of her family and asks for prayers for her soul.”
Blanca had been on exchange and living in Taiwan when she had travelled to Thailand for a holiday.
Washing elephants is a popular activity at some sanctuaries in Thailand.
Experts told Clarín the elephant had likely become stressed due to interacting with tourists.
Some 4,000 elephants live in sanctuaries, national parks, and nature reserves in Thailand.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
