award winning movie director killed by Gerald the giraffe he was photographing up close

[Demovictory9]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5694067/Award-winning-movie-director-killed-freak-accident-skull-crushed-GIRAFFE.html



Drikus Van Der Merwe was part of the filming crew and said he was stood next to Carlos when he was attacked.

'He started chasing the boom swinger who joined our unit,' he added. 'The giraffe followed him but we didn’t feel threatened because he just seemed to be inquisitive.

'We started shooting close ups of its body and its feet. Then while Carlos was looking through the camera eyepiece Gerald swung his neck and hit him against his head.



Gerald the Giraffe (pictured) crushed the camera man's skull while he was filming in Broederstroom, South Africa

'It came out of nowhere and Carlos didn’t even see it coming. He wasn’t aware of the danger.'

The tragedy happened at the popular 1,500-acre Glen Afric Country Lodge in Hartbeespoort which is 50 miles north the hospital he was flown to on Wednesday night.

Van Der Merwe said Carlos’s body lay lifeless on the ground until the on-set paramedic arrived.

'I could see he was unconscious,' he said. 'There was blood coming out of his eyes and ears so I knew he had a severe head trauma. But I never thought he would die.




Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5694067/Award-winning-movie-director-killed-freak-accident-skull-crushed-GIRAFFE.html#ixzz5Eei1Kgen

[bettyellen]

1. Their skulls are their main weapon. You can tell makes by their horn protrusions have the fur worn

off from fighting each other. That and the leverage they work up with their necks, ooof. Beautiful creatures.

[hlthe2b]

2. So incredibly sad...

He was making a documentary that might ultimately help giraffes and other animals, but of course that male giraffe perceived a threat. So, sad. (unlike the hunters killed by those animals they sought to slaughter)

[Ferrets are Cool]

3. They are wild animals. It is a dangerous occupation.

Condolences go out to his family.

[procon]

4. "He wasn't aware of the danger."

Then he was a stupid fool who qualifies as a leading contender for the Darwin Award.

A male giraffe stand up to 19 feet tall and weighs between 2,400 and 3,000 pounds -- that's 1 1/2 tons -- and they use their heads and necks like battering rams. No one in their right mind, and he was experienced so he should have been aware of the potential danger, would allow a wild animal to get that close.

[Demovictory9]

5. Maybe the safari people should have warned him

[ansible]

6. Even the experts fuck up, just look what happened to Steve Irwin

[Oneironaut]

7. Sometimes experts are worse, because they become complacent.

That's true for all activities with any danger to them. Beginners are afraid of the danger, and may be overly cautious. Experts may believe they transcended danger because of their skill.

[leftyladyfrommo]

8. I saw today where 3 people in India were killed

trying to take selfies with wild animals.


One was an injured bear and it mauled the man to death. Two tried to get selfies with wild elephants.

Trying to get too close to a wild animal is always dangerous.