Anti-Poaching Hero Killed by 2,900-Pound Rhino While Protecting Animals from Poachers
Schoeman van Jaarsveld dedicated his life to protecting rhinos from poaching gangs in South Africa.
On Thursday, April 23, the 58-year-old conservationist was killed by a double-horned black rhino during a morning patrol at the Samara Karoo Reserve, a 68,000-acre protected area in the heart of South Africa’s Great Karoo region.
Van Jaarsveld was traveling on foot alongside his professional team when the black rhino suddenly emerged from cover and charged at him. According to the U.S. Sun, the rhino “burst out of cover and impaled him.”
The conservationist was pronounced dead by the time emergency services arrived on the scene. The rhino attack occurred around 10:30 a.m. local time.
“Another member of the security team was slightly injured. No shots were fired and the black rhino was not hurt. A full investigation is underway into just what happened,” the Samara Karoo Reserve confirmed in a statement, per the U.S. Sun.
Van Jaarsveld was a lifelong rhino conservationist who served as an anti-poaching champion in South Africa.
He owned and operated Milk River Security, a private armed security firm that specialized in protecting rhinos from poaching threats, according to George Herald.
How the Rhino Attack Unfolded at Samara Karoo Reserve
At the time of the fatal encounter, van Jaarsveld and his team were working at the Samara Karoo Reserve to safeguard rare white and black rhinos. They were specifically watching for lethal poaching crews believed to be operating in the area.
At the moment of the attack, the patrol was monitoring a black rhino and tracking the animal through a GPS device fastened to its ankle. Their goal was to check on the rhino and provide care.
The black rhino, which weighed approximately 2,900 pounds, charged at van Jaarsveld and fatally impaled him. After the goring, the animal retreated back into the reserve when scared off by other patrol members.
One additional team member sustained minor injuries during the incident. No shots were discharged during the encounter, and the rhino itself was not harmed.
Anti-Poaching Community Reacts to van Jaarsveld’s Death
Tributes continue to pour in for van Jaarsveld from across the anti-poaching community.
Arno Potgeiter, who was trained by van Jaarsveld, described him as a “very good man” who was “very good at his job.”
“Something went very wrong and they came face to face and my friend was badly gored,” Potgeiter said, per the U.S. Sun.
“His loss has been deeply felt among the anti-poaching community and it is even more tragic that his life was taken by the very animal he was trying to keep safe,” an unidentified friend told the U.S. Sun.
“Our thoughts are with Schoeman’s family and friends and as a mark of respect we will be helping with the funeral following the tragic loss of a member of the Samara team,” the Reserve added in a statement.
Poaching gangs killed 352 rhinos in South Africa during the past year, according to the New York Post. Now the Samara Karoo Reserve has lost the man who fought hardest to stop it.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
