SANParks reports that two men allegedly entered Kruger National Park illegally on 11 September 2026 and encountered a herd of elephants, causing them to flee and become separated. One man returned home and reported his companion missing after hearing screams; local residents helped alert police. Rangers, guided by the surviving suspect, tracked into the park and found the missing man's body and a buffalo carcass believed to have been illegally hunted. SAPS is conducting a forensic investigation while SANParks and law enforcement continue inquiries.
Suspected Poacher Found Dead After Fleeing Elephants in Kruger; Accomplice Arrested
An African elephant herd drinks at a waterholeCredit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty
A suspected poacher was found dead inside South Africa's Kruger National Park after he and an accomplice encountered a herd of elephants and fled, South African National Parks (SANParks) said in a statement.
SANParks said rangers received information on 12 September 2026 that two men had allegedly entered the park illegally via the Pafuri area on 11 September. While inside the park the pair encountered a herd of elephants and ran in different directions, losing contact with one another.
One of the men later returned home and reported his companion missing, saying he had heard the missing man screaming during the incident. Local community members helped alert the South African Police Service (SAPS), and the surviving suspect was detained after admitting to unlawfully entering the park.
A crash, or group, of black rhinoceroses is seen during a safari driveCredit: David Silverman/Getty
The detained individual accompanied SANParks rangers from the Pafuri Ranger Post to the area where the incident reportedly occurred. Rangers followed tracks from the Luvuvhu River for roughly a mile into the park and discovered the body of the missing man. During the search they also found the remains of a buffalo that SANParks believes was illegally hunted.
The exact cause of the man's death has not been confirmed. SAPS is investigating and working with forensic teams to determine the circumstances.
Context
Kruger National Park — roughly the size of Wales — is one of Africa's largest game reserves and is home to the continent's "Big Five": buffalo, elephants, rhinos, leopards and lions. The park remains a key battleground in efforts to combat poaching, particularly the illegal killing of rhinos for their horns, which are trafficked internationally.
SANParks stressed the matter is under investigation and that law-enforcement and conservation authorities are cooperating to establish what transpired and to pursue those responsible for illegal hunting inside the park.
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