Elephant tramples to death European rancher in Kenya

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya

An elephant on Wednesday trampled to death the owner of a ranch in central Kenya.

Gilfred Powys, a U.K national who owned the Suiyan Ranch in Laikipia County, was killed while he was patrolling the ranch.

Kenya Wildlife Service officials told local media the rancher was killed by a lone elephant which had strayed away from its herd.

Joseph Eleman, a worker at the ranch, told local Standard Newspaper: "He was going through his routine patrol and we suspect that was when he was attacked. We heard the elephants charge and that was what prompted us to visit the scene. We were shocked to find that he had already been killed."

Richard Chepkwony, a Kenya Wildlife Service official, told Anadolu Agency that Powys died at 2 p.m. (1100GMT). He had parked his car and was walking on foot when the elephant attacked.