A 75-year-old American millionaire, known for hunting wild animals across continents, has died after a sudden encounter with a herd of elephants in Central Africa. Ernie Dosio, an experienced fisherman and vineyard owner from California, was on an expedition to Gabon when the accident occurred.
While tracking a rare antelope through a dense jungle, he and his professional guide unexpectedly encounter a group of elephants. Within seconds, the situation turned deadly as the animals charged, fatally crushing Docio and seriously injuring his guide.
How five elephants attacked the 75-year-old bounty hunter
The attack reportedly occurred in dense rainforest near Lobi Okanda National Park, where visibility is low and wildlife can appear without warning.
Dusio and his guide were tracking the elusive yellow-backed duiker, a rare forest antelope, when they unwittingly walked into a herd of five forest elephants. The animals hiding among the dense vegetation were not spotted until it was too late.According to accounts familiar with the incident, the elephants, believed to be females with a calf, reacted immediately and attacked when they realized a threat.The professional hunter accompanying Dosio was hit first, thrown aside, and wounded during the initial charge.
In the chaos, he lost his rifle in the bushes, leaving Docio armed with only a rifle.The elephants then turned on Dusio and trampled him under their combined weight. It is believed that the attack was very rapid, with little chance of escape once the herd charged within close range.
Why elephants can turn deadly
The African forest elephant is one of the strongest land animals on Earth, capable of weighing several tons and moving at amazing speed.
Although they are often described as calm, they can become very aggressive when they feel threatened, especially around calves.Gabon is home to about 60 percent of the world’s remaining forest elephants, making it more likely that you will encounter them in its dense forests. Experts estimate that elephants kill between 300 and 500 people globally each year, usually in surprise defensive attacks.
The veteran hunter kept an extensive collection of animal trophies at his home in California.
Omar hunting
Dusio spent decades traveling the world in pursuit of big game, building a trophy collection that included species of lion, elephant, buffalo and gazelle.
He was widely known in hunting circles in both the United States and Africa, and was considered an experienced outdoorsman.At the time of his death, he was reportedly trying to add the yellow-backed duiker, a difficult species sought after among hunters, to his collection.His friends and colleagues described him as a larger-than-life figure who was also deeply involved in charity work, regularly supporting veterans and disadvantaged groups.Safari, which operates Collect Africa, confirmed that a customer had died after encountering an elephant during a hunt, while the injured guide had survived.
