A series of fatal elephant encounters across Africa has claimed the lives of three individuals in separate incidents, highlighting the dangers of human-wildlife conflict. The victims include a millionaire American hunter, a South African conservationist, and two British tourists, each killed under different circumstances.
Ernie Dosio, a 75-year-old millionaire big game hunter from California, was killed by a herd of five elephants while hunting a yellow-backed duiker in Gabon, according to multiple media reports. Dosio, who owned a vineyard in Lodi, California, was armed with a shotgun and accompanied by a professional hunter at the time of the attack. The elephants, described as five females with a calf, charged after being startled, according to reports. The professional hunter was seriously injured and lost his rifle during the incident. Dosio's body is being repatriated by the US Embassy in Gabon to Lodi, California, sources said.
The plan was a guided walk to the Luangwa River where they would cross by canoe and continue to a Bush camp.
In a separate incident, Gary Freeman, a 65-year-old co-owner of the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve in South Africa, was killed by a charging elephant while leading a group of tourists on a guided hike, according to multiple media reports. Freeman brandished his revolver to scare the elephant but did not fire, according to two sources. According to Daily Mail - News, Freeman had previously described that he would rather be killed by an elephant than shoot one. The attack occurred in the reserve, which is adjacent to Kruger National Park.
The third incident involved two British women, Janet Taylor Easton and Alison Taylor, both 67, who were trampled to death by an elephant in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park on July 3 last year, according to multiple media reports. The women were on a walking safari organized by Expert Africa. According to an inquest at Bradford Coroners' Court, the group was accompanied by a guide and a tracker. The guide spotted a female elephant with a younger elephant at a distance, but the tracker saw the elephant charging from behind and shouted, and a scout fired a warning shot. The elephant was hit and wounded by gunshots, according to reports. The cause of death was traumatic thoracic injuries from the elephant attack. The death was recorded as misadventure following an inquest, according to research. Janet Easton, also known as Janice, taught chemistry at Titus Salt School in Baildon, Bradford, from September 1983 until retiring in August 2022, according to research. On the day of her death, she had been on a guided walk and left the camp early to attend a safety briefing, according to research. Assistant coroner Caroline Chandler said in a press conference: "The plan was a guided walk to the Luangwa River where they would cross by canoe and continue to a Bush camp." According to Daily Mirror - Main, headteacher Phil Temple described Easton as admired for her skills.
She was admired for her skills.
Several details remain unclear across the incidents. The exact dates of the deaths of Ernie Dosio and Gary Freeman have not been confirmed. It is also unknown whether any charges were filed or legal actions taken in the Zambia elephant attack, and what happened to the elephant that attacked the women. The specific safety measures in place during the walking safaris have not been disclosed. There is a minor discrepancy in the age of Janet Easton, with some reports listing her as 68, though most sources agree she was 67.