A South African safari guide who once told friends he would sooner be killed by an elephant than take a shot at one has died exactly that way, after refusing to fire his revolver during a charge at the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.
Gary Freeman, 65, was leading four tourists on a guided walk along the banks of the Klaserie River on 9 April when an elephant emerged and charged the group. Despite being armed with a revolver, Mr Freeman brandished the weapon in an attempt to deter the animal but did not discharge it. He was fatally injured in the attack.
A source close to the reserve said the incident was swift and devastating. “Gary tried to break the charge but he never fired a shot. The elephant was very quickly on him and it was, as you can imagine, not pleasant. There is nothing anyone can do to stop six tonnes of angry elephant. Fortunately it was all over quickly.”
Tourists in the group helped carry Mr Freeman to a vehicle and drove him urgently in search of medical assistance, but he was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel. Police spokesman Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba confirmed there was “no evidence that suggests the firearm was used.”
Those who knew Mr Freeman said his death was a painful but perhaps telling reflection of his lifelong philosophy. Judy Connors, who visited his safari camp in February, recalled him speaking of his profound respect for elephants. “He said he would rather be killed by an elephant than shoot one,” she wrote on Facebook following his death.
Friend Thomas Marshall, who had accompanied Mr Freeman on three wilderness hikes, described him as “totally at one with nature.” “The word legend is much abused,” he said, “but he truly was one.”
A mechanical engineering graduate, Mr Freeman had spent 33 years running Gary Freeman Safaris after qualifying as a ranger upon leaving university. Standing well over six feet tall, he was known locally as ‘Thutwa’ — the Tswana word for giraffe. He was a co-owner of the 148,000-acre Klaserie reserve, which was established in 1969 when 36 farm owners combined their land to create one of South Africa’s largest Big Five reserves.
Police in Limpopo Province have opened a formal inquest into the incident. No action has been taken against the elephant, though wildlife experts have been called in to assess its behaviour and the potential risk it may pose.
The Klaserie reserve paid tribute to Mr Freeman in a statement, describing him as “a true gentleman and an integral part of the fabric of Klaserie.” “Gary’s presence, kindness and contribution to this landscape will be deeply missed,” the statement read. “Gary will forever be a part of the Klaserie.”
The incident follows a separate attack in Zambia last July, in which two female tourists — including Janet Easton, 68, from Bradford — were killed by a charging elephant at South Luangwa National Park. Male African elephants, the world’s largest land animals, can weigh up to six tonnes and are responsible for the deaths of as many as 500 people across Africa each year.
