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New Mexico woman dead after elephant attack in Zambia

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Top line

A U.S. woman died this week when an elephant attacked the vehicle she and other tourists were traveling in while traveling in Zambia, local authorities said, the second fatal elephant attack this year.

Key data

The attack occurred on Wednesday when a group of tourists stopped to watch a herd of elephants near the Maramba Cultural Bridge in Livingstone, Zambia, local officials told ZNBC, the Zambian national broadcaster.

Juliana Gle Tourneau, 64, of New Mexico was killed in the attack at about 5:50 p.m. local time after she was pushed from the vehicle and trampled by an elephant that was in the herd they were watching, the Associated Press reported.

Authorities did not say whether anyone else was injured or what caused the elephant to become aggressive. It is also not known whether Tourneau was traveling with a group.

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tangent

Earlier this year, an 80-year-old American woman also died when a bull elephant “unexpectedly” attacked a tourist vehicle in Kafue National Park in Zambia. According to the CEO of Wilderness Safaris, the company that ran the expedition, four other people were injured in the attack. A video of the attack that circulated on social media was investigated by authorities. In early March, another elephant attack occurred in South Africa – in which an elephant lifted a vehicle with its trunk and then dropped it – but that attack resulted in no casualties, ABC News reported.

Important background

Elephants are normally peaceful animals but can become aggressive towards humans when they are sick, harassed, near their offspring or experiencing “musth,” a phase in which male elephants display heightened aggressiveness, increased testosterone and temporal gland secretion, according to a 2022 report published in MDPI. Elephants that feel threatened may attack humans or vehicles, according to South African National Parks, although in most cases these are “mock attacks” and they break free before hitting the target. When they carry out the attack, elephants can cause serious injury and damage, including killing other elephants or destroying cars.

Further information

ForbesElephant attack on safari claims life of elderly American tourist, others injured – what we knowFrom Cailey GleesonAP NewsUS tourist killed in elephant attack in Zambia – the second this year
abc newsVideos show the horrific moment when a bull elephant lifts up a safari truck

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