Animal protector killed by hippo

Sphamandla tragically lost his life while defending animals from poachers in a South African reserve. The 31-year-old fell victim to a hippopotamus, one of the very animals he was trying to safeguard. It was a fate he did not deserve.

This heartbreaking news is reported by the "Daily Star". Sphamandla Mthembu had been serving as a guardian of wildlife for eight years in a nature reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, a province of the South African Republic. His mission was to shield wild animals from the lethal pursuits of poachers. Regrettably, the wilderness does not recognize gratitude.

According to local authorities, on Sunday, 19th of November, the 31-year-old Sphamandla was operating alongside three other guards, administering the security of a herd of elephants and rhinos. In response to the information about poachers infiltrating the park, they divided themselves into two groups that evening.

The guards' abrupt movements instigated an ominous encounter with a hippopotamus en route to a nearby river. The beast assaulted Mthembu, compelling the man to fire defensively. Devastatingly, the man stood no chance against the massive, three-ton animal.

Mthembu's fellow guards were quick to leap to his aid. His shots killed the hippopotamus, eventually allowing the man to be freed from the beast's enormous maws. Distressingly, Sphamandla succumbed to his injuries while waiting for medical assistance.

"I was deeply heartbroken by the news of this incident and finding the right words became even harder when I discovered Mr. Mthembu had recently lost a child. His family had not yet come to terms with the loss, and then this unfortunate event took place," conveyed Shie Mkhize, the General Director of Ezemvelo Kwazulu-Natal Wildlife Park, as reported by the "Daily Star".

The South African Police have initiated an investigation to probe into the reserve guard's death.