They Are Taking A Beating In Africa (33 plus)
04-04-2005, 08:25 PM
#31
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
NUMBER 9:
Per Kathi, who runs a travel service in Africa....
I had to include this one because of the use of the 303 Enfield....
Ah, safely in our cribs in America
=================
Elephant gores man to death
CHRONICLE REPORTER
AN ATTEMPT to drive away a herd of elephants, which had strayed into a homestead cost a man from Binga his life when one of the elephants gored him to death after he had shot and wounded it, police have confirmed.
Matabeleland North police spokesman, Sergeant Augustine Zimbili said , John Mwembe aged 61, died on the spot when an angry bull pierced him from behind his right shoulder to the right of his chest using its tusks. He was from Zingozo village in Simathele area, which is under chief Siyachilaba.
“ The man wanted to chase away a herd of elephants which were in the village. He fired one round in the air using his 303 rifle to scare the animals but they did not go away,”
“Realising that the animals were resisting, he fired the second round and hit one of the bulls on its right shoulder,” said Sgt Zimbili.
The injured bull angrily charged at this man and caught him with its tusks piecing him in the process. He then died on the spot.
The villagers then made a report to the police.
--- Kathi
Per Kathi, who runs a travel service in Africa....
I had to include this one because of the use of the 303 Enfield....
Ah, safely in our cribs in America
=================
Elephant gores man to death
CHRONICLE REPORTER
AN ATTEMPT to drive away a herd of elephants, which had strayed into a homestead cost a man from Binga his life when one of the elephants gored him to death after he had shot and wounded it, police have confirmed.
Matabeleland North police spokesman, Sergeant Augustine Zimbili said , John Mwembe aged 61, died on the spot when an angry bull pierced him from behind his right shoulder to the right of his chest using its tusks. He was from Zingozo village in Simathele area, which is under chief Siyachilaba.
“ The man wanted to chase away a herd of elephants which were in the village. He fired one round in the air using his 303 rifle to scare the animals but they did not go away,”
“Realising that the animals were resisting, he fired the second round and hit one of the bulls on its right shoulder,” said Sgt Zimbili.
The injured bull angrily charged at this man and caught him with its tusks piecing him in the process. He then died on the spot.
The villagers then made a report to the police.
--- Kathi
04-09-2006, 09:16 PM
#32
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
Number 10!
[/align]
Humans: The new bushmeat
Fiona Macleod
08 April 2006 11:59
Residents of Limpopo terrorised by a pride of escapee lions this week got off relatively lightly compared with villagers living in neighbouring Mozambique and Tanzania, where lions often turn into man-hunters.
Jeremy Anderson, a South African wildlife expert helping the Mozambican government develop strategies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, reports that in 18 months in just one of the country’s 10 provinces at least 70 people were eaten by lions.
In neighbouring Tanzania, lion researcher Craig Packer recently recorded that lion attacks on people had risen from about 40 a year a decade ago to more than 100 a year.
Protected areas in both countries are rarely fenced and predators are forced out into rural residential areas by competitors and lack of food. Once they discover humans are easy prey and develop a taste for them, they turn into man-hunters and even pull victims out of their homes.
In Limpopo, the 15 lions that escaped through a hole in the fence of the Sabi Sands private reserve a fortnight ago killed at least 12 cattle but avoided humans. By Wednesday, eight members of the pride had been shot, five had been lured back into the reserve and three were still at large.
Conservationists gathered in Johannesburg earlier this year to discuss a crisis in African lion populations, which, they said, are at an all-time low, largely because of conflict with humans over livestock. Most of the continent’s remaining population is found in Southern Africa; Tanzania accounting for more than half.
Anderson’s report, co-authored by Mozambican conservationists, says Mozambique’s wildlife resources “are still very significant” after 30 years of civil war. People are moving into unoccupied areas, raising the potential for conflict.
“As both human and wildlife populations increase, and people occupy new land, the level of conflict is increasing. This unresolved human-wildlife conflict is creating negative attitudes towards both the government and proposed wildlife-related developments.”
Besides lions — there are at least 650 of them left in Mozambique — elephants (at least 21 500) and crocodiles (at least 50 000) cause the main problems. Growing buffalo populations could spread diseases to livestock, but hippos — usually the biggest culprits in human fatalities caused by wildlife — were eliminated from most river systems during the civil war.
The report recommends short-term solutions such as training and equipping professional problem-animal control units, as well as proper long-term land-use planning. It was presented to delegates at a National Directorate of Forests and Wildlife workshop in Maputo last week on the potential contribution of wildlife resources to poverty alleviation.
In the meantime, villagers are using home-grown solutions like smearing chilli on string and digging trenches to keep wildlife away from their crops. Simon Munthali, regional head of the African Wildlife Foundation, an NGO working on conflict resolution in Mozambique, told the Mail & Guardian his organisation had recently raised $8 000 for a chilli-growing project after chilli had proved an effective deterrent against elephants.
Kathi
Fiona Macleod
08 April 2006 11:59
Residents of Limpopo terrorised by a pride of escapee lions this week got off relatively lightly compared with villagers living in neighbouring Mozambique and Tanzania, where lions often turn into man-hunters.
Jeremy Anderson, a South African wildlife expert helping the Mozambican government develop strategies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, reports that in 18 months in just one of the country’s 10 provinces at least 70 people were eaten by lions.
In neighbouring Tanzania, lion researcher Craig Packer recently recorded that lion attacks on people had risen from about 40 a year a decade ago to more than 100 a year.
Protected areas in both countries are rarely fenced and predators are forced out into rural residential areas by competitors and lack of food. Once they discover humans are easy prey and develop a taste for them, they turn into man-hunters and even pull victims out of their homes.
In Limpopo, the 15 lions that escaped through a hole in the fence of the Sabi Sands private reserve a fortnight ago killed at least 12 cattle but avoided humans. By Wednesday, eight members of the pride had been shot, five had been lured back into the reserve and three were still at large.
Conservationists gathered in Johannesburg earlier this year to discuss a crisis in African lion populations, which, they said, are at an all-time low, largely because of conflict with humans over livestock. Most of the continent’s remaining population is found in Southern Africa; Tanzania accounting for more than half.
Anderson’s report, co-authored by Mozambican conservationists, says Mozambique’s wildlife resources “are still very significant” after 30 years of civil war. People are moving into unoccupied areas, raising the potential for conflict.
“As both human and wildlife populations increase, and people occupy new land, the level of conflict is increasing. This unresolved human-wildlife conflict is creating negative attitudes towards both the government and proposed wildlife-related developments.”
Besides lions — there are at least 650 of them left in Mozambique — elephants (at least 21 500) and crocodiles (at least 50 000) cause the main problems. Growing buffalo populations could spread diseases to livestock, but hippos — usually the biggest culprits in human fatalities caused by wildlife — were eliminated from most river systems during the civil war.
The report recommends short-term solutions such as training and equipping professional problem-animal control units, as well as proper long-term land-use planning. It was presented to delegates at a National Directorate of Forests and Wildlife workshop in Maputo last week on the potential contribution of wildlife resources to poverty alleviation.
In the meantime, villagers are using home-grown solutions like smearing chilli on string and digging trenches to keep wildlife away from their crops. Simon Munthali, regional head of the African Wildlife Foundation, an NGO working on conflict resolution in Mozambique, told the Mail & Guardian his organisation had recently raised $8 000 for a chilli-growing project after chilli had proved an effective deterrent against elephants.
Kathi
04-11-2006, 12:04 AM
#33
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
Number 11:
Well, kind of good news really, they lived, but broken bones are no joke --- really any injury in a 3rd world country is serious.
Hmmm, game that bites, stomps, gores, and tosses instead of just running away....
Hi everyone
I heard a bush telegraph that Christo Gomes, Outfitter and Professional Hunter got hit by a buffalo that was wounded by a client his.
Apparently he and clinet got bashed but a resourcefull tracker saved them, both are Ok with a couple of broken bones
Rumour has it that his rifle misfired !!!
I hope they recover quickly and well
Walter Enslin
[email protected]
[/align]
I heard a bush telegraph that Christo Gomes, Outfitter and Professional Hunter got hit by a buffalo that was wounded by a client his.
Apparently he and clinet got bashed but a resourcefull tracker saved them, both are Ok with a couple of broken bones
Rumour has it that his rifle misfired !!!
I hope they recover quickly and well
Walter Enslin
[email protected]
[/align]
Hmmm, game that bites, stomps, gores, and tosses instead of just running away....
04-15-2006, 11:05 PM
#35
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
You can take medication to prevent Malaria.
Doesn't do any good against: hippo, buff, ele, lion, croc, leopard, snakes, or armed African war "vets" and other elements of civil unrest/corruption.
On the other hand, these last items are just elements of fine adventure.
Doesn't do any good against: hippo, buff, ele, lion, croc, leopard, snakes, or armed African war "vets" and other elements of civil unrest/corruption.
On the other hand, these last items are just elements of fine adventure.
04-16-2006, 11:29 PM
#36
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location:
Posts: 58
RE: Bad News X 8
The last time I was in Africa (come to think of it, it was the only time I've been in Africa), I was worried more about Mahammad Faarah Aideed and his Habar Gidirkilling me than any type of animal.Given the fact that I was only carrying a .223 caliber (of course it had a box with 200 rounds in it that could be emptied in 20 seconds or so at the cyclic rate...), I certainally don't think I could have stopped a charging cape buffalo. Granted that was Somalia in early 1994 and I wasn't hunting four legged animals. However, I think our malaria pills we were supposed to have been taking posed the greatest risk as they expired in 1986. I chose to take my chances with the mosquitos than the pills.
At any rate, any way you cut it, Africa is a dangerous place. For Americans it is getting more dangerous every day (politically at least). Although I'm sure it happens, how often does a charging whitetail gore a hunter to death?
Semper Fi to all of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children out there.
At any rate, any way you cut it, Africa is a dangerous place. For Americans it is getting more dangerous every day (politically at least). Although I'm sure it happens, how often does a charging whitetail gore a hunter to death?
Semper Fi to all of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children out there.
05-09-2006, 04:24 PM
#37
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
#12 - Client Killed By Elephant - Professional Hunter & Camera Man Survives!
Co-founder of fashion house killed by elephant
By Malcolm Moore
(Filed: May 8, 2006)
The co-founder of the Italian Blumarine fashion house has been trampled to death by an elephant while on a hunting trip in Zimbabwe, Italian media reported yesterday. Gianpaolo Tarabini, 67, was on safari with Claudio Chiarelli, a professional hunter, and Aldo Castoldi, a photographer, when they were charged by two elephants. His two friends escaped. Mr Tarabini co-founded Blumarine with his wife, the fashion designer Anna Molinari in 1977.
Yesterday, the couple's daughter, Rosella flew to Zimbabwe to retrieve Mr Tarabini's body. "I will take him to our home, which for him and for all of us is the most beautiful place in the world," she said. Friends said he had a deep love for Africa, and was an experienced trekker. A post mortem examination was being carried out yesterday.
Mr Castoldi said: "They all stampeded. Claudio succeeded in shooting the first elephant, but not the second, which trampled Paolo." He said Mr Tarabini died 10 minutes after Friday's attack, and had asked to be taken home to Carpi, near Modena.
Kathi
[email protected]
708-425-3552
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
Co-founder of fashion house killed by elephant
By Malcolm Moore
(Filed: May 8, 2006)
The co-founder of the Italian Blumarine fashion house has been trampled to death by an elephant while on a hunting trip in Zimbabwe, Italian media reported yesterday. Gianpaolo Tarabini, 67, was on safari with Claudio Chiarelli, a professional hunter, and Aldo Castoldi, a photographer, when they were charged by two elephants. His two friends escaped. Mr Tarabini co-founded Blumarine with his wife, the fashion designer Anna Molinari in 1977.
Yesterday, the couple's daughter, Rosella flew to Zimbabwe to retrieve Mr Tarabini's body. "I will take him to our home, which for him and for all of us is the most beautiful place in the world," she said. Friends said he had a deep love for Africa, and was an experienced trekker. A post mortem examination was being carried out yesterday.
Mr Castoldi said: "They all stampeded. Claudio succeeded in shooting the first elephant, but not the second, which trampled Paolo." He said Mr Tarabini died 10 minutes after Friday's attack, and had asked to be taken home to Carpi, near Modena.
Kathi
[email protected]
708-425-3552
"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page."
05-09-2006, 04:54 PM
#38
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
#13 - Small Game Hunting? Don't Leave TheTruck Without Your Dangerous Game Rifle!
From AccurateReloading.com:
"For those of you who might know or have hunted with Pete Fick of Mokore Safaris, his tracker of many years Jorrum was killed recently by an elephant. Apparently got caught out in the open without the .375 he normally carried. Pete is taking it very hard and is setting up an educational fund to take care of Jorrum's children.....
....According to Pete's e-mail they had all left the truck to go after a warthog taking only a 30-06. When they were about 200 yards from the truck this bull winded them and charged. Pete took the 30-06 and told the rest including Jorrum to run back to the truck he got by a tree and waited until the bull was about 60 yards out and still coming for him and fired over his head the bull stopped for a few seconds then continued his charge. Pete shot the bull in the face at about 10 yards with the 30-06 and turned it. Then the bull ran off to the left and whereas the rest had continued on to the truck Jorrum apparently had stopped at the edge of the clearing to to watch Pete and the bull. The bull picked up Jorrum scent and turned and ran him down and killed him. In the two weeks we hunted together in 2004 he always carried his .375 but not this time. Tragic. In the future I know I will not leave the truck without at least one heavy rifle in the group. They hunted for the bull that afternoon and the next day but the last I heard they had not found him yet...."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Bell killing elephants with a 7X57 is commonly the smallbore enthusiastsfavorite crutch,and here we havea 30-06 (even more powerful), I'mthinking his 375 H&H that was back in the truck was looking more attractive by the minute.
From AccurateReloading.com:
"For those of you who might know or have hunted with Pete Fick of Mokore Safaris, his tracker of many years Jorrum was killed recently by an elephant. Apparently got caught out in the open without the .375 he normally carried. Pete is taking it very hard and is setting up an educational fund to take care of Jorrum's children.....
....According to Pete's e-mail they had all left the truck to go after a warthog taking only a 30-06. When they were about 200 yards from the truck this bull winded them and charged. Pete took the 30-06 and told the rest including Jorrum to run back to the truck he got by a tree and waited until the bull was about 60 yards out and still coming for him and fired over his head the bull stopped for a few seconds then continued his charge. Pete shot the bull in the face at about 10 yards with the 30-06 and turned it. Then the bull ran off to the left and whereas the rest had continued on to the truck Jorrum apparently had stopped at the edge of the clearing to to watch Pete and the bull. The bull picked up Jorrum scent and turned and ran him down and killed him. In the two weeks we hunted together in 2004 he always carried his .375 but not this time. Tragic. In the future I know I will not leave the truck without at least one heavy rifle in the group. They hunted for the bull that afternoon and the next day but the last I heard they had not found him yet...."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Bell killing elephants with a 7X57 is commonly the smallbore enthusiastsfavorite crutch,and here we havea 30-06 (even more powerful), I'mthinking his 375 H&H that was back in the truck was looking more attractive by the minute.
06-21-2006, 07:03 AM
#39
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
Number 14 - Lion Mauling:
2006 is shaping up as a dangerous year for big game hunters in Africa. Already, there have been two elephant-caused fatalities in Zimbabwe and a serious lion mauling in Ethiopia. Now, PH Sean Reeve in Zambia has been seriously wounded by a lion.
The mauling took place yesterday (June 15, 2006) in Musalanga, on the border of North Luangwa National Park. We have only the basic facts of the encounter from Dale Beatty of PHAZ, Professional Hunters Association of Zambia. He says the mauling occurred as Reeve and a client were following up a wounded lion. "The lion came for them," Beatty told The Hunting Report this morning, "at which point Reeve shot and hit the cat. Unfortunately, that didn't stop it in time to keep it from attacking and biting Reeve on the arm and shoulder. As it was doing that, the client fired at the lion and hit it again, at which point the trackers waded in with axes."
Beatty said Reeve has been evacuated to South Africa where he is in good condition. The only injury that may have lasting effect is to Reeve's thumb. "He may or may not lose that finger," Beatty said.
We hope to have more details on the accident by the time the July issue of The Hunting Report goes to press. In the meantime, the accident does not appear to be a result of negligence or carelessness. Our preliminary reading is the accident simply reinforces the idea that dangerous game is, well, dangerous. Be careful out there! - Don Causey.
Kathi
[email protected]
708-425-3552
================================================== =
[/align]Someseem to thinkthat due to PH guided hunting thatthe risk factor forhunting Africa isessentially equivalent toa stroll in the local "deer patch"....
2006 is shaping up as a dangerous year for big game hunters in Africa. Already, there have been two elephant-caused fatalities in Zimbabwe and a serious lion mauling in Ethiopia. Now, PH Sean Reeve in Zambia has been seriously wounded by a lion.
The mauling took place yesterday (June 15, 2006) in Musalanga, on the border of North Luangwa National Park. We have only the basic facts of the encounter from Dale Beatty of PHAZ, Professional Hunters Association of Zambia. He says the mauling occurred as Reeve and a client were following up a wounded lion. "The lion came for them," Beatty told The Hunting Report this morning, "at which point Reeve shot and hit the cat. Unfortunately, that didn't stop it in time to keep it from attacking and biting Reeve on the arm and shoulder. As it was doing that, the client fired at the lion and hit it again, at which point the trackers waded in with axes."
Beatty said Reeve has been evacuated to South Africa where he is in good condition. The only injury that may have lasting effect is to Reeve's thumb. "He may or may not lose that finger," Beatty said.
We hope to have more details on the accident by the time the July issue of The Hunting Report goes to press. In the meantime, the accident does not appear to be a result of negligence or carelessness. Our preliminary reading is the accident simply reinforces the idea that dangerous game is, well, dangerous. Be careful out there! - Don Causey.
Kathi
[email protected]
708-425-3552
================================================== =
[/align]Someseem to thinkthat due to PH guided hunting thatthe risk factor forhunting Africa isessentially equivalent toa stroll in the local "deer patch"....
08-08-2006, 07:15 AM
#40
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colorado
Posts: 1,964
RE: Bad News X 8
Number 15 - Leopard Mauling:
First from the wife:
Wayne Williamson has been mauled by a leopard while hunting in mozambique.
Below is an email from his wife:
Wayne spent three hours in theatre this afternoon, came out sore and shattered. His head looks like an axe murderer has mutilated it. He has a fractured bone in his left hand, they cannot set it as had to open it up to clean it - it is very swollen from that bad leopards nasty bacteria !!!!! His shoulder & left arm, hand are really not functioning at all. Had a cat scan yesterday the skull is not fractured thank God.
A French PH and his client wounded the leopard the night before, Wayne went in to help them. Wayne was crouching down when it came - it all happened very fast. The leopard hooked him on the right side of his head and pulled his head into its mouth. Wayne some how got his hand and arm into its mouth to try and get it to stop eating his head, Wayne managed to throw the leopard off and the french PH shot it. This all happened in Mozambique, Wayne wrapped up his head on his own, organised the others to get the vehicle, then set his GPS and walked to the vehicle on his own - the thought of that makes me sick, I can't believe they let him walk on his own (he was probably being very bossy). They drove back to camp, got him into a boat, flew to Kariba for fuel and they came into Byo.
For some bizarre reason Wayne wrote out all his medical aid details that am and gave them to the camp manager, he wrapped a towel around his left arm & duct taped it, he then put a leather glove on (he has never done that before) - that is the hand / arm that he shoved into the leopards mouth - the damage would have been far more severe without that protection. Wayne usually leaves his medical aid kit in the vehicle, he made his tracker carry it. The leopard literally scalped him, I cannot describe what his head looks like, no damage to his face or eyes.
I hope this e mail makes sense, I am exhausted and not thinking very clearly. We hope to get Wayne to JHB tomorrow. I told him you had e mailed and a tired little smile broke out, his eyes look so sad and shattered. But he is being very brave, he honestly makes more fuss when he has flu."
Then From Wayne:
"This is the story from Wayne as it happened.
The leopard was wounded on the saturday evening, Wayne offered Yann his assistance on the follow up of the leopard in the morning. This is normal practise in a camp - PH's always help each other out. At six am the next morning they were on the trail - with very little blood to follow the tracking was slow, they had worked out that one of the legs had been shot, but they were not sure which one. Both Yann and Wayne were carrying shotguns, the trackers were carrying the heavy rifles. They tracked and caught up with the leopard at three pm sunday afternoon. They were alerted to it's presence by a troup of baboons, they moved in hoping the baboons had distracted it, and they could shoot the leopard. The leopard charged, but due to long grass and thick bush they could not see it, the leopard could not get to them it then disappeared into a small gulley. The tracker heard it and Wayne and Yann tried to get in ahead of it to cut it off. They heard it charging again, Wayne crouched down on his haunches to try to see under the leaves , it was very thick. The leopard broke cover but it was so quick neither Yann or Wayne could get a bead on it, they both fired. By the time Wayne re loaded the cat was on him (it was later found the cat had been hit by a shotgun by some of the first shot). As Wayne was crouching down, it hooked its paw around his right ear and jaw, throwing him off balance - it then started biting and scratching Wayne's head. Wayne had wrapped padding around his left arm and was wearing a glove on his left hand. Wayne pried his left hand and arm into the leopards mouth to stop it attacking his head. Once this was done he managed to roll the leopard off, within a fraction of a second of rolling it off, Yann managed to shoot it. Yann had wanted to shoot before, but wisely held back as he would have killed both Wayne and the leopard.
The leopard was then shot again to make sure it was dead. Wayne stood up, his scalp was flapped forward over his eye lids, Wayne placed his skin back into position and placed a trauma dressing over his head. Yann and Wayne then planned their next move, Yann would run with one tracker straight to the vehicle and bring it to the nearest point - Wayne had marked the road on his GPS and Wayne would follow the GPS to the nearest point on the road. The remaining tracker and game scout would recover the leopard and other belongings, then follow Wayne. The road was approx 1 1/2 kms - Wayne managed to get to the road before the trackers, and Yann later met Wayne there with the vehicle. One the way back to camp Yann drove and Wayne was on the radio to camp requesting they have bandages and anti septic ready to tend to the wounds and try to stop the bleeding.
Simon Rodger (for who Wayne works) had landed in neighbouring Zimbabwe (Kanyemba), Simon heard the radio conversation and started proceedings to keep air ports open, and clear the route for Wayne to be flown back to Bulawayo for immediate medical assistance. Simon also managed to keep Kariba airport open for the aircraft to re fuel. At this time Wayne was in camp, he poured anti septic over his head and onto a field dressing - this was strapped to his head. They continued to add bandages and towels to try to stem the bleeding. Wayne then got onto a boat he was accompanied by Sharon, the camp Manageress, who took care of Wayne and made sure the bleeding was under control, the boat trip was a fifty minute ride up the Zambezi River to Kanyemba in Zimbabwe. Simon was waiting with a vehicle to take Wayne to the air strip. They took off at approx five thirty in the evening, re fuelled in Kariba at last light using oil lamps on the run way to take off. They landed in Byo at eight that night, were Muffy was waiting with the Mars ambulance. Wayne was in casualty by eight thirty that night. Wayne has had two sets of surgery on his head and left hand at the Mater Dei Hospital, and whilst in a lot of pain is making a good recovery."
What an ordeal.....
==========================================
Well, we're up to 15 of these little adventures.
Though others talked about providing similar information to contradict the "danger factor", I haven't seen any of it.
First from the wife:
Wayne Williamson has been mauled by a leopard while hunting in mozambique.
Below is an email from his wife:
Wayne spent three hours in theatre this afternoon, came out sore and shattered. His head looks like an axe murderer has mutilated it. He has a fractured bone in his left hand, they cannot set it as had to open it up to clean it - it is very swollen from that bad leopards nasty bacteria !!!!! His shoulder & left arm, hand are really not functioning at all. Had a cat scan yesterday the skull is not fractured thank God.
A French PH and his client wounded the leopard the night before, Wayne went in to help them. Wayne was crouching down when it came - it all happened very fast. The leopard hooked him on the right side of his head and pulled his head into its mouth. Wayne some how got his hand and arm into its mouth to try and get it to stop eating his head, Wayne managed to throw the leopard off and the french PH shot it. This all happened in Mozambique, Wayne wrapped up his head on his own, organised the others to get the vehicle, then set his GPS and walked to the vehicle on his own - the thought of that makes me sick, I can't believe they let him walk on his own (he was probably being very bossy). They drove back to camp, got him into a boat, flew to Kariba for fuel and they came into Byo.
For some bizarre reason Wayne wrote out all his medical aid details that am and gave them to the camp manager, he wrapped a towel around his left arm & duct taped it, he then put a leather glove on (he has never done that before) - that is the hand / arm that he shoved into the leopards mouth - the damage would have been far more severe without that protection. Wayne usually leaves his medical aid kit in the vehicle, he made his tracker carry it. The leopard literally scalped him, I cannot describe what his head looks like, no damage to his face or eyes.
I hope this e mail makes sense, I am exhausted and not thinking very clearly. We hope to get Wayne to JHB tomorrow. I told him you had e mailed and a tired little smile broke out, his eyes look so sad and shattered. But he is being very brave, he honestly makes more fuss when he has flu."
Then From Wayne:
"This is the story from Wayne as it happened.
The leopard was wounded on the saturday evening, Wayne offered Yann his assistance on the follow up of the leopard in the morning. This is normal practise in a camp - PH's always help each other out. At six am the next morning they were on the trail - with very little blood to follow the tracking was slow, they had worked out that one of the legs had been shot, but they were not sure which one. Both Yann and Wayne were carrying shotguns, the trackers were carrying the heavy rifles. They tracked and caught up with the leopard at three pm sunday afternoon. They were alerted to it's presence by a troup of baboons, they moved in hoping the baboons had distracted it, and they could shoot the leopard. The leopard charged, but due to long grass and thick bush they could not see it, the leopard could not get to them it then disappeared into a small gulley. The tracker heard it and Wayne and Yann tried to get in ahead of it to cut it off. They heard it charging again, Wayne crouched down on his haunches to try to see under the leaves , it was very thick. The leopard broke cover but it was so quick neither Yann or Wayne could get a bead on it, they both fired. By the time Wayne re loaded the cat was on him (it was later found the cat had been hit by a shotgun by some of the first shot). As Wayne was crouching down, it hooked its paw around his right ear and jaw, throwing him off balance - it then started biting and scratching Wayne's head. Wayne had wrapped padding around his left arm and was wearing a glove on his left hand. Wayne pried his left hand and arm into the leopards mouth to stop it attacking his head. Once this was done he managed to roll the leopard off, within a fraction of a second of rolling it off, Yann managed to shoot it. Yann had wanted to shoot before, but wisely held back as he would have killed both Wayne and the leopard.
The leopard was then shot again to make sure it was dead. Wayne stood up, his scalp was flapped forward over his eye lids, Wayne placed his skin back into position and placed a trauma dressing over his head. Yann and Wayne then planned their next move, Yann would run with one tracker straight to the vehicle and bring it to the nearest point - Wayne had marked the road on his GPS and Wayne would follow the GPS to the nearest point on the road. The remaining tracker and game scout would recover the leopard and other belongings, then follow Wayne. The road was approx 1 1/2 kms - Wayne managed to get to the road before the trackers, and Yann later met Wayne there with the vehicle. One the way back to camp Yann drove and Wayne was on the radio to camp requesting they have bandages and anti septic ready to tend to the wounds and try to stop the bleeding.
Simon Rodger (for who Wayne works) had landed in neighbouring Zimbabwe (Kanyemba), Simon heard the radio conversation and started proceedings to keep air ports open, and clear the route for Wayne to be flown back to Bulawayo for immediate medical assistance. Simon also managed to keep Kariba airport open for the aircraft to re fuel. At this time Wayne was in camp, he poured anti septic over his head and onto a field dressing - this was strapped to his head. They continued to add bandages and towels to try to stem the bleeding. Wayne then got onto a boat he was accompanied by Sharon, the camp Manageress, who took care of Wayne and made sure the bleeding was under control, the boat trip was a fifty minute ride up the Zambezi River to Kanyemba in Zimbabwe. Simon was waiting with a vehicle to take Wayne to the air strip. They took off at approx five thirty in the evening, re fuelled in Kariba at last light using oil lamps on the run way to take off. They landed in Byo at eight that night, were Muffy was waiting with the Mars ambulance. Wayne was in casualty by eight thirty that night. Wayne has had two sets of surgery on his head and left hand at the Mater Dei Hospital, and whilst in a lot of pain is making a good recovery."
What an ordeal.....
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Well, we're up to 15 of these little adventures.
Though others talked about providing similar information to contradict the "danger factor", I haven't seen any of it.