Sexually-Charged Elephant Put Down After It Crushed Safari Ranger To Death

A sexually-charged bull elephant trampled a safari ranger to death near Kruger National Park in South Africa on Saturday.

The incident took place when 33-year-old Mark Lautenbach tried to move the angry elephant away from the tourist area. But, the elephant, which was in full musth, charged at the expert guide and trampled him repeatedly. Lautenbach, who was also a professional wildlife photographer, suffered “extensive injuries” and succumbed. The elephant too was put down.

Mirror reported, Lautenbach's distraught partner, Nadia, is said to be inconsolable post the tragic incident.

Calling Lautenbach one of the most respected game rangers in South Africa, Desbo Mohono, a member of the executive council for environment and agricultural development said, "His death by an elephant is a great loss to the South African wildlife sector as Mark was a highly committed and highly trained ranger with years of experience. We pray that his family may find peace and comfort at this time of bereavement."

A local expert said, “When a bull elephant is in musth it becomes extremely dangerous and is sending out messages to the females he is ready to mate. It is also sending out a powerful message to all the rival males that he is not in the mood to be messed with. This hormonal change can last several weeks or even several months. This elephant was an older bull and very big and had broken down a fence at Leopard Rock and had got into the lodging areas and was potentially a very big danger to all,” Metro reported.

“Mark is an expert and has had many encounters with bull elephants but something went terribly wrong here and the staff say nothing could be done once the elephant had him. He was one of the top five game rangers in South Africa and his services as a professional wildlife photographer were highly sought after and his loss in our community is huge,” he added.

Dr. Michelle Henley, an elephant expert, said, "You have to be doubly cautious when you come across a bull elephant in musth for they are far more aggressive. Their testosterone levels are highly elevated and the first thing to be aware of is the swelling of a gland just behind the eye which for a bull in musth can swell to the size of a soccer ball. The elephant has a way of walking, a stand-tall display, and you will see it swaggering down the road with urine gushing out which is a tell-tale sign he is in full musth and you cannot approach. Ten-to-one are the odds it will not get off the road if you are on it and you have to give way."

It is not confirmed when the funeral and memorial services for Lautenbach will take place.