LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA) – What began as a high-end African safari ended in tragedy when a prized Cape buffalo turned the hunt on its pursuer, fatally goring a wealthy American real estate mogul in Limpopo, South Africa.
On August 3, 45-year-old Asher Watkins was tracking the massive animal with a professional guide and a tracker by his side during a game hunting inside the 50,000-acre Bambisana concession.
Weighing almost 2000 pounds with majestic sharp horns, the buffalo known for its unpredictable temperament especially when threatened suddenly charged at nearly 35 mph, striking Watkins with lethal force before anyone could react.
His mother, Gwen, brother Amon, and stepfather Tony were waiting back at the safari lodge, unaware that the hunter had become the prey.
“It was a sudden and unprovoked attack,” Hans Vermaak of Coenraad Vermaak Safaris said in a statement, calling the incident “deeply traumatic” for those who witnessed it.
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Watkins, a seasoned hunter and conservation advocate, was a member of the Dallas Safari Club and Ducks Unlimited, often arguing that ethical hunting helped sustain “African wildlife”.
His sudden death leaves behind his ex-wife, Courtney, and their 16-year-old daughter, Savannah.
Known as one of Africa’s most dangerous animals, the Cape buffalo kills an estimated 200 people a year in southern Africa, according to Kenya Wild Parks. The species has few natural predators aside from lions and humans, and a deadly reputation among hunters.
Authorities in South Africa have opened an inquest, with Coenraad Vermaak Safaris cooperating fully. The fate of the buffalo remains unknown, but the shocking incident has reignited fierce debate over the risks and ethics of trophy hunting by wealthy international clients.
