Van Jaarsveld was tracking a black rhino via a GPS device on its ankle when the animal charged and gored him, according to multiple reports. The rhino, weighing 1,300kg and with two horns, backed off after the patrol screamed at it; no shots were fired. Van Jaarsveld was pronounced dead at around 10:30am. He ran his own armed private security company protecting rhinos and conducted day and night patrols at Samara and other reserves.
South Africa lost 352 rhinos to poachers last year. Rhino horns are hacked off with axes and smuggled to the Far East for herbal potions, and are more valuable per ounce than cocaine or gold. According to Daily Mail - News, field ranger Arno Potgeiter, 27, who was trained by van Jaarsveld, described him as a 'very good man'. Tributes from friends and colleagues echoed that sentiment.
He was very good at his job and I was told he was out trying to track down a black rhino. Something went very wrong and they came face to face and my friend was badly gored.