[Regnum] In Zambia, during a morning walk in the South Luangwa National Park, an elephant trampled to death two tourists — a 68-year-old British woman and her 67-year-old friend from New Zealand. This is reported by the Daily Mail.Before the incident, two women who were at the Big Lagoon Bush Camp decided to walk to the Luangwa River crossing before leaving, where they spotted a mother elephant nursing her baby.
The group strayed from their route and within minutes the enraged animal was chasing them. The New Zealander, who had problems with her leg, was the first to be caught. In an attempt to save the British citizen, the safari guides opened fire on the elephant, but this did not help prevent a tragedy.
Both women did not survive the attack.
As reported by Regnum, earlier in South Africa there was a mass escape of wild animals from the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi National Park. Lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and a pack of hyenas escaped through a damaged fence.
It is believed that the gap in the fence appeared due to illegal mining by local residents. The escaped animals are creating chaos in the surrounding settlements - the predators are attacking livestock, and one of the rhinos injured a woman.
Local residents constantly appeal to the authorities to restore the fence and neutralize the escaped animals or return them to the park. However, it is noted that the authorities are slow to respond and people have to live in constant fear.