Some insightful, sensible advice for those thinking of tourism in South Africa

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http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120141378/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Journal of Travel Medicine

Risk to Tourists Posed by Wild Mammals in South Africa

David N. Durrheim MPH TM, MACTM 1 , 3 Peter A. Leggat FAFPHM, FACTM 2
1 Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, Mpumalanga Department of Health, South Africa 2 Deputy Head, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Australia.
Correspondence to 3 Consultant in Communicable Disease Control, Private Bag X11285, Nelspruit, 1200, South Africa.

Copyright 1999 by the International Society of Travel Medicine

ABSTRACT

Background: One of South Africa's principal tourist attractions is the opportunity to encounter Africa's large mammals in the wild. Attacks by these mammals can be exceptionally newsworthy with potentially deleterious effects on tourism. Little is known about the risk of injury and death caused by wild mammals to visitors to South Africa's nature reserves. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of fatal and nonfatal attacks on tourists by wild mammals in South Africa and to ascertain avoidable factors, if any.

Methods: Commercial press records covering all South African Newspapers archived at the Independent Newspapers' central library were systematically reviewed for a 10-year period, January 1988 to December 1997 inclusive, to identify all deaths and injuries to domestic and international tourists resulting from encounters with wild mammals in South Africa. All of these incidents were analyzed to ascertain avoidable factors.

Results: During the review period seven tourists, including two students from Thailand and a German traveler, were killed by wild mammals in South Africa. Three of the four deaths ascribed to lions resulted from tourists carelessly approaching prides on foot in lion reserves. A judicial inquiry found that the management of a KwaZulu-Natal Reserve was culpable for the remaining death. Tourist ignorance of animal behavior and flagrant disregard of rules contributed to the two fatalities involving hippopotami. The unusual behavior manifested by the bull elephant responsible for the final death, resulted from discomfort caused by a dental problem to this pachyderm. During the same period there were 14 nonfatal attacks on tourists, including five by hippo, three by buffalo, two by rhino, and one each by a lion, leopard, zebra and musth elephant. Only the latter occurred while the visitor was in a motor vehicle. Tourist ethological naivete and failure to determine the experience of trail guides prior to travel, resulted in inadvertent agonistic behavior, unnecessary risk-taking and avoidable injury.

Conclusions: This retrospective study has shown that attacks on tourists by wild mammals in South Africa are an uncommon cause of injury and death. Sensible precautions to minimize this risk include remaining in a secure motor vehicle or adequately fenced precincts while in the vicinity of large mammals, rigidly observing nature reserve instructions, never approaching animals that appear ill, malnourished, displaying aggressive behavior traits or female wild mammals with young, and demanding adequately trained and experienced game rangers when embarking on walking trails. Any behavior that might be construed as antagonistic and which could provoke an attack by large mammals should be avoided (e.g., driving directly at a lion). Visitors need to be informed of classic signs of aggression, in particular in elephants, which will allow timely avoidance measures to be taken. The risk-enhancing effect of excessive alcohol intake is undesirable in the game reserve setting, as is driving at high speed after dusk in areas where hippos graze. Local advice on personal safety in wildlife reserves and the credentials of trail guides should be obtained from lodge or reserve management, tourism authorities or the travel industry prior to travel to game reserves.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-505900/Nine-lions-devour-man-African-game-park-leaving-skull-spine.html



Daily Mail

Nine lions devour man at African game park leaving only his skull and spine
Last updated at 14:52 03 January 2008

A man was killed and eaten by lions at a game farm in South Africa, police revealed today.

Samuel Boosen, a 36-year-old caretaker at the Aloe Ridge Lodge at Swartruggens, about 90 miles west of Johannesburg, went into the lion enclosure to feed the animals before being attacked on Tuesday.

"He went into the cage ... (about) nine lions then attacked and ate him up until the only parts that remained were the skull and spine," police spokesman superintendent Lesego Metsi said.

"It happened in full view of two witnesses."