The Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is investigating a buffalo attack that claimed the life of a man outside the Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park (HIP) at the weekend.
It is unclear when or how the animal escaped from the park.
Ezemvelo spokesperson, Musa Mntambo explained that on Sunday there were reports of a buffalo outside the park, near the Mashiya gate.
"As inclement weather prevented the helicopter to take-off, the community decided to hunt the buffalo. Ezemvelo field rangers stationed at Siqwashi Outpost heard a gun shot outside HIP. They reacted and found a group of people gathered around the deceased body of a man," he said.
It is alleged that the gunshot was to scare off the animal.
Ezemvelo chief executive officer, Sihle Mkhize extended his condolences to the family of the deceased.
"I want to express our profound sadness over the loss of one of our community members. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with living in close proximity to wildlife, despite our best efforts to ensure safety measures are in place.
“At HIP the safety and wellbeing of our visitors and surrounding communities are our top priorities. We have robust protocols in place to minimise potential risks and ensure the protection of both humans and wildlife. However, nature can be unpredictable, and tragic events like this remind us of the need for constant vigilance and ongoing efforts to enhance safety measures," he added.
He said Ezemvelo is cooperating with local authorities and conducting an investigation into the circumstances leading up to the man's demise.
"Our team is committed to learning from this experience and implementing any necessary changes to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. We understand that this tragedy has deeply affected our community, and we are here to offer our support and assistance in any way we can," he said.
Mntambo said it is still too early to speculate how the buffalo might have escaped from HIP.
"Recently Ezemvelo has been dealing with poachers who continue to cut the fence to gain access to HIP. The organisation has had to employ Fence Liners who patrol the fence every day. Unfortunately, they cannot be everywhere at the same time. HIP deals with between three to five fence cutting incidents on monthly basis," he said.
IOL