Four elephants trapped in truck, NSPA suspects foul play
The SPCA allege that 4 elephants trapped in an overturned truck were en-route from SANParks to a private game reserve, which offers hunting.
Four elephants have been rescued from an overturned truck en route to the Samara Karoo Reserve near Graaff-Reinet in the Eastern Cape, the national SPCA revealed.
The incident took place on Wednesday, 5 March, on Olifantskop Pass.
According to the animal activists, the wild animals had been “gifted” from SANParks to the private game reserve, who later disputed the claims.
SPCA SHARES HORRIFIC NEWS OF TRAPPED ELEPHANTS
In a press release, the SPCA revealed that four elephants were trapped in an overheated truck that had overturned in the Eastern Cape.
The NGO claimed that the animals were allegedly “donated” from a SANParks reserve to Samara Private Game Reserve, which they claimed offered hunting opportunities.
The accident reportedly took place after a “shift in weight” during the transportation.
“It would be interesting to know why the elephants (what the government would term “assets”), are being donated to a private game reserve. The NSPCA already has enough concerns and problems about elephants in private game reserves as it stands”, the statement read.
According to an on-site vet, the animals were successfully rescued and have no visible injuries.
SAMARA KAROO RESERVE SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT
On Facebook, the Sama Karoo Reserve responded to the insinuation that the elephants had been gifted to them for hunting purposes.
It posted: “It is categorically FALSE that Samara offers ‘hunting opportunities.’ Samara Karoo Reserve is a conservation undertaking committed to wildlife reintroduction and land restoration, funded by photographic tourism. We are NOT a hunting operation”.
The private reserve stated that the four elephants were captured in Addo Elephant National Park and translocated to their site, with the aim of establishing a new population of elephants in the area.
It continued: “This translocation is about expanding the habitat available for elephants to thrive.
“Samara is assisting SANParks by providing homes for elephants as the current population in Addo Elephant National Park is expanding beyond the park’s habitat resources.
“All the appropriate permissions were granted for this translocation”.
In a statement to The South African, SANParks said that the elephants were a “donation” to the private game reserve.
NO INJURIES
According to Samara Karoo Reserve, a team of specialists, including a professional wildlife translocation team, veterinary team, and capture and release team, was on-site to rescue the trapped elephants.
The animals, as well as the driver of the truck, are uninjured.
Speaking to The South African, the NSPCA stood by their original claims.
DO YOU THINK THAT THE ELEPHANTS WERE INTENDED TO BE RELOCATED OR HUNTED?
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