Suspected poacher killed by elephants in South Africa national park

The suspect was reportedly found trampled by a herd of elephants

According to officials, a suspected poacher has been killed in the Kruger National Park in South Africa by a herd of breeding elephants, as reported by abc News. The man reportedly came across the herd of elephants yesterday whilst he was running away from rangers with two other suspects. According to officials, the two other suspects were arrested, despite one suffering from an eye injury. When the poachers realised they had been seen by the park rangers, the suspected poachers dropped an axe and a bag of provisions in an attempt to escape, park officials said in a statement. A rifle was also recovered during the investigation over the weekend. The suspects were reportedly seeking to poach rhinos, officials said. Rangers were out on a patrol in the Phabeni area when they detected incoming spoor and then made a follow up in the hope they would come across the suspected poachers, according to park officials. The park rangers found one suspect who had been "badly trampled" by elephants and he died of his serious injuries. In a statement, Managing Executive of the Kruger National Park, Gareth Coleman, said: "We are proud of the teamwork and dedication of our Rangers Corp, our aviators and the K9 unit. "It is unfortunate that a life was unnecessarily lost. Only through discipline, teamwork and tenacity will we be able to help stem the tide of rhino poaching in KNP."