Sanctuary Ranger attacked by Chimps fights for life

A ranger at a Chimpanzee sanctuary near Nelspruit is fighting for his life after he was attacked by two frenzied animals while leading a tour group at the park this afternoon.

The cause of the incident and the series of events preceding it remain unclear.

Common cause information suggests that the ranger had lead the tour passed an enclosure and had positioned himself close to the fence. According to eyewitnesses, two Chimpanzees’ grabbed the man by his feet and pulled him under the perimeter fence and into the enclosure.

The man was dragged nearly a kilometer into the large enclosure while being attacked by the two animals.

Netcare911 Paramedics arrived at the scene and entered the enclosure with armed escorts. They arrived to find the ranger in a critical condition, having sustained multiple and severe bite wounds.  He was rapidly stabilised at the scene and transported by ambulance to a private medical facility in Nelspruit.

No one else was injured in the incident.

Jeffrey Wicks
Media Liaison Officer - Gauteng
Netcare LimitedNetcare 911