An experienced elephant carer has tragically died after being killed by a female elephant he had raised since she was born 19 years ago. Israel Shambira, 58, was fatally attacked by the elephant, named Limpopo, during a routine bush walk at the Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development (HERD) reserve in South Africa. Mr Shambira had cared for Limpopo since her birth in 2006, the first elephant calf born at the reserve after a group of orphaned elephants were rescued from Zimbabwe and relocated to safety.
The elephant, considered calm and nurturing, turned aggressive in a shocking incident that has left staff devastated and confused. The attack took place on Saturday afternoon while the elephants were out on their usual afternoon walk.
Limpopo reportedly knocked down a large tree that was obstructing a reserve path. While three other carers went to call for help to clear the road, Mr Shambira remained behind, resting beneath a nearby tree.
Without warning and entirely unprovoked, Limpopo turned and charged at him, fatally goring him through the chest with her tusks. Despite his colleagues rushing back to the scene, there was nothing they could do to save him.
Mr Shambira’s journey with elephants began nearly 30 years ago. A builder by trade in Zimbabwe, he became captivated by orphaned elephants near a project site and changed his life to care for them full-time.
In 2002, as political unrest in Zimbabwe threatened the elephants with death, he helped relocate the herd to South Africa’s only dedicated elephant orphanage.
He left behind his wife and eight children to dedicate himself to the elephants’ care and every six weeks, he would travel back to Zimbabwe for two weeks to be with them.
A spokesperson for the reserve HERD said: “We have no idea what went through Limpopo’s mind and why she just did it as the elephants were in a relaxed state in the bush. Limpopo’s behaviour was totally unexpected and unprovoked during the usual walk out in the bush on the reserve and why she turned on Israel we just will never know.
“Israel was a builder in Zimbabwe in 1996 working on a project with orphaned elephants nearby and was fascinated by them and gave up his job and went to look after them. In 2002 war veterans in Zimbabwe were going to slaughter the elephants and a plan was made to get them down to us at South Africa’s first and only elephant orphanage.
“Israel left his wife and children to support and look after the elephants and has been with us ever since and Limpopo was the first birth we had here from the herd in 2006. Unlike all the other elephants here who were orphaned by poachers or were traumatised Limpopo was born into safety and has never been in any danger or threatened.
“She was a gentle giant which is what makes this so tragic and baffling to understand because Israel had been at her side since she was born 19 years ago.”
The spokesperson added: “Israel loved and cared for those elephants as much as he loved and cared for his family and they were 30 years of his life and we will miss him so much.”