Overview

• A magistrate launched the inquest on August 7 as part of South Africa’s standard procedure for unexplained deaths on private hunting concessions.
• Asher Watkins, a 52-year-old Texas ranch broker, was fatally gored on August 3 in Limpopo Province while hunting Cape buffalo.
• Coenraad Vermaak Safaris reported that Watkins was tracking an unwounded buffalo with professional guides when the animal charged without warning.
• The safari operator and Watkins Ranch Group are cooperating with investigators while limiting public details in light of the family’s privacy concerns.
• Full-grown Cape buffaloes can exceed a ton in weight and cause around 200 human fatalities each year due to their unpredictable aggression.