The South African government has issued a statement confirming that two men were attacked and mauled by leopards at a military base near Kruger National Park. One victim, a member of the South African Air Force, was attacked while jogging near the base. The other was a civilian employee who encountered the animal while walking around the perimeter. Brigadier General (BG) Donavan Chetty confirmed that the two men had been hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. In its statement, the government said it had been in touch with officials at the base and would work with them to “implement appropriate measures to mitigate future risks.”
Mr. Chetty stated that it is not unusual to see leopards in the area. They cannot be contained, and as such, they wander “amongst the human population.” The Kruger National Park is the largest in South Africa, at almost two million hectares. It contains hundreds of varieties of animals and birds, and attacks on humans are common.
The park is home to South Africa’s “big five,” which are all potential killers. Tourists regularly visit the park to see lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo. The most frequent incidents involving lions are attacks on illegal immigrants who cross the border from Mozambique, unaware of where they are walking. Leopards are generally seen as one of the most dangerous inhabitants of the park, partly due to their strength, speed, and aggression if threatened.
Rhinos are also potentially extremely dangerous and are known to charge at vehicles. South African tourism advises that the female rhino will be fiercely aggressive if she feels her calves are threatened. Rhinos typically lower their heads and stamp their feet if they are about to charge, and experts warn that anyone seeing the animal behaving this way should flee immediately.
The most dangerous animal, however, is the elephant, responsible for more deaths across Africa than any other. Most elephant-related fatalities result from the animals stamping on their victim, but they have also been known to overturn cars. Experts note that, like most animals, elephants will only become aggressive if they feel they or their young are in danger.
