KICKED almost to death
Game ranch employee survives giraffe hoof to the face
A GAME ranch worker survived a brutal kick to the face from a male giraffe on Monday morning.
Sipho Mabika (45) is recovering at Life Empangeni Private Hospital with extensive damage to his nose, palate, cheeks, jaw and eye sockets.
The incident happened at about 8am at a private game farm off the R34 about 15km outside Empangeni. The farm is designated ‘nondangerous’ as it does not host any ‘big five’ animals.
According to owner Rob Hughes, a fence had been trampled down by a bull giraffe from an adjacent farm and it had attacked the resident dominant male.
‘Sipho, who is highly experienced and has worked with me for 18 years, was assisting with the erection of an electric fence on Monday when he saw the intruder giraffe and walked towards it with the intention of guiding it away.
‘The animal became aggressive and kicked out at him, injuring him seriously. We immediately called for an ambulance and he was hospitalised after being expertly treated on scene.
‘Fortunately he appears to be recovering well.
‘We visited him with his family on Tuesday and because we have workman’s compensation he is being afforded the best possible care,’ said Hughes, who referred to Mabika as ‘a kind, gentle person’.
‘Working with wild animals always carries a risk and the incident draws attention to the possible perils.’
Giraffe and zebra, while appearing to be placid, are in fact extremely dangerous and giraffes have been known to kill – even decapitate – lions, with a hoof force reportedly as great as 2000 pounds per square inch.