Niël Terblanché
Swakopmund resident and professional big game hunter, Gert Andres Jacobus (Kudu) van der Walt, lost his life during an elephant attack in the Kambangula grazing area of the Tsandi Constituency on Monday afternoon.
The 46-year-old was trampled by an elephant while trophy hunting in the company of international guests in the Omusati Region.
According to police reports, Van der Walt was hunting an elephant bull that had been officially designated as a problematic animal.
Accompanied by a group of international visitors and guides from the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Van der Walt was involved in a legally sanctioned hunt when the attack occurred.
The elephant was subsequently shot by the accompanying guides, who survived the encounter.
Tragically, Van der Walt’s 12-year-old child was present during the incident.
The staff of Opuwo Country Lodge took in the child until they could make plans for his safe return to his mother.
Axel Cramer, the president of the Namibia Professional Hunting Association (NAPHA), issued a solemn statement following the tragedy, expressing sorrow and calling for the need for respectful dialogue around the incident.
The NAPHA statement read:
“It is with profound sadness that we learned of the tragic incident.
According to Cramer, the hunt was conducted under permit number 213656, which was issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and Tourism of Namibia.
According to Cramer, allegations that this was an illegal or secretive hunt are not truthful.
“Please do not share such unfounded statements which carry no truth at all. In light of this tragedy, NAPHA is deeply disturbed by the insensitive reactions on social media,” he pleaded.
Cramer said that NAPHA acknowledges that a lot of work remains to educate the Namibian population about the significant contributions of trophy hunting to the community.
“NAPHA also extends its gratitude to the Game Guard whose brave actions protected all other individuals involved,” he said.
He said trophy hunting plays a crucial role in conservation efforts and supports local communities.
“We urge the public to approach this sensitive matter with compassion and respect, bearing in mind the grieving family and the broader implications of this tragedy,” he requested.
The tragic death of Van der Walt has sparked a wave of reactions, with social media becoming a platform for both condolences and controversy.
Some critics have questioned the ethics of trophy hunting, while others have highlighted its role in wildlife conservation and community support.
The tragedy again casts a spotlight on the complex and often polarising nature of wildlife management and conservation practices in Namibia.
Trophy hunting provides substantial economic benefits to local communities and supports conservation efforts by controlling populations of certain species, reducing human-wildlife conflict, and funding conservation initiatives.
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism supervises hunting operations to guarantee their ethical and legal conduct.
Before any hunt is allowed, the ministry issues a permit for problem animal control hunts, such as the one in which Van der Walt was participating, to manage wildlife that poses a threat to local communities or ecosystems.
