Elephant tramples tour guide to death in South Africa

Conservationists are mourning the death of a Zimbabwean tour guide who was trampled to death by a charging elephant at South Africa's Gondwana Private Game Reserve.

David Kandela, 36, was leading a group of tourists on Sunday evening when the tragedy happened, the reserve said in a statement quoted by local media.

It added that the incident occurred as one of Gondwana’s herds of elephants was passing through Gondwana’s tented Eco Camp.

"The herd had nearly passed through the camp when David encountered the last remaining elephant just before the tragic event occurred," the statement added.

Fellow tour guides and tour operators have described Mr Kandela as an expert guide who had a deep passion for his work.

Such incidents are rare, but elephants are said to be easily disturbed by the high number of tourists especially in areas that are not designated for safari tourists.

Elephants are a major tourist attraction in southern Africa.