A veteran wildlife protector in South Africa was killed in a sudden and violent encounter with a rhinoceros while on patrol at a private reserve.
Schoeman van Jaarsveld, 58, was working in the Samara Karoo Reserve in the country’s Great Karoo when a rhino charged out from cover and fatally gored him, according to officials. The incident happened Thursday at about 10:30 a.m. local time.
Emergency responders arrived quickly, but van Jaarsveld had already died from the severe injuries he sustained. He was well known for his work in conservation and led his own armed security company, Milk River Security, which focused on protecting rhinos from poachers.
At the time, van Jaarsveld and his team were conducting a patrol aimed at safeguarding both white and black rhinos, species heavily targeted by organized poaching groups. Authorities say hundreds of rhinos were killed last year for their horns, which command extremely high prices on the black market.
The team had been tracking a black rhino using a GPS device when the attack occurred. After the incident, the animal fled deeper into the 68,000-acre reserve. No gunfire was used, and the rhino was not injured.
Colleagues and friends described van Jaarsveld as highly skilled and deeply committed to his work. Arno Potgeiter, a 27-year-old ranger he had trained, said the pair unexpectedly came face-to-face with the animal.
“Something went very wrong, and my friend was badly gored,” Potgeiter said.
Others remembered van Jaarsveld as tough, experienced, and devoted to protecting wildlife. One associate noted that the attack happened suddenly and left injuries too severe to treat without immediate medical care.
The reserve issued a statement honoring his contributions, emphasizing his role in safeguarding endangered animals and praising the professionalism of his team. One other member of the patrol suffered minor injuries.
An investigation is underway to determine exactly what led to the encounter.
Officials at the reserve said they plan to support van Jaarsveld’s family and assist with funeral arrangements. They also pledged to carry on his work, continuing efforts to protect vulnerable wildlife from poaching threats.
“He will be greatly missed,” the statement said, “but his mission to defend our rhinos and other wildlife will go on.”