Saudi tourist trampled to death by elephant on safari in Uganda

The deceased had stopped for a break when an elephant charged at him

File image: Uganda relies heavily on tourism with the help of its diverse wildlife (Roshni Lodhia for Space for Giants)

A Saudi national has been trampled to death by an elephant in a Uganda, leading to an investigation by authorities.

The incident took place on Tuesday at the Murchison Falls national park, a popular tourist destination in the African nation.

The tourist, identified as Ayman Sayed Elshahany, was on a safari game drive, an adventure ride through a national park or reserves that entails viewing wildlife while inside a car.

Elshahany was with colleagues and was travelling to Arua city, according to a statement by Bashir Hangi, a spokesman for Uganda Wildlife Authority that manages the country’s national parks and wildlife reserves, reported the AFP news agency.

The group had stopped for a break during the safari game drive.

“They stopped along the way and the deceased went out of the car, an elephant charged at him, killed him on the spot,” Mr Hangi said.

The wildlife park’s officials have opened an investigation into the reasons for the tourist’s death and to determine why the elephant charged at him.

They will also be reviewing security protocols for tourists visiting the park to avoid a repeat of the incident, according to Mr Hangi.

Uganda is famous for its diverse wildlife, including African bush elephants, hippopotami, Nile crocodiles and African leopards. It has 10 national parks, 13 wildlife reserves and sanctuaries.

Several animal attacks have been reported from the country in recent years, something not unheard of in the east African country.

In 2018, a three-year-old toddler was snatched from his family and eaten by a leopard at a safari park in Uganda.

Elephants have also been a source of fear for locals who live near the national parks.

Residents of the Karusandara sub-county in Kasese district have demanded the Uganda Wildlife Authority to establish more ranger outposts to control animal attacks in the community last year after a 60-year-old man was killed by an elephant.

While Uganda relies heavily on tourism with the help of its diverse wildlife, animal-human conflicts near some national parks have been on the rise in the landlocked country.