Overview

• South African authorities opened a formal inquest on August 6 to investigate the unprovoked Cape buffalo goring that killed 52-year-old Asher Watkins in Limpopo Province.
• Watkins, a Dallas native, sustained fatal stomach and torso injuries as a previously shot buffalo lay nearby, according to police.
• Coenraad Vermaak Safaris confirmed the hunter’s identity and said it would withhold detailed information publicly to respect the family’s privacy.
• Cape buffaloes cause around 200 human fatalities each year and are regarded as the most dangerous of Africa’s Big Five.
• South Africa’s trophy hunting sector generates over $169 million annually, highlighting the economic stakes of such expeditions.