An elephant trampled on a 46-year-old man on Monday, killing him before help could come his way, the police said on Monday.
Abner Petrus died on the spot he was trampled on by the elephant at Okatha- Kiikombo village in the Okatseidhi area in northern Namibia on Sunday, according to Omusati police regional commander, Commissioner Titus Shikongo.
He said the deceased, in company with his wife and daughter were trying to chase away a herd of elephants that invaded their crop fields. “It is alleged that the man and his family managed to drive the animals out of the field and after they tried to chase them further away into the bushes. In the process, one elephant emerged from behind and attacked the man”.
Last week, Namibia’s Environment Minister Pohamba Shifeta said the country had seen a surge in human-wildlife conflicts involving elephants, buffaloes, and other animals mainly in the north and northeastern parts of the country.
Shifeta added that the country had resorted to auctioning off some of its elephants while relocating others to national parks as they are causing the most damage to crops, water infrastructure, and property in nine of the fourteen regions.
