Buffalo buffalo hunters die to revenge for their fellow humans

The wild buffalo had a piercing of the femoral artery, causing the hunter to lose his life almost immediately, after the man shot and killed his members.

54-year-old professional hunter Claude Kleynhans had an accident while leading an expedition along the Levubu river in the northern province of Limpopo, the Independent on 30 May reported. Claude and the guests shot and killed the wild buffalo and were preparing their bodies on the car when they were attacked by other members of the buffalo. Kleynhans's colleague rushed to the guesthouse to ask for help, while Claude was pierced in the femoral artery by wild buffalo and died.

Claude photographed next to the hunting booty.(Video: Independent).

"They are sawing the animal in the bush and not seeing the buffalo," said Karen Kuhne Kleynhans, Claude's sister-in-law. "The buffalo knocked him down and stabbed his horn over his thigh."

According to Karen, wild buffalo is Claude's favorite hunting target. He grew up in the small town of Modjadjiskloof and served as a police officer before becoming a professional hunter. Claude founded the 1987 company Guwela Safaris, which offers hunting, fishing and photography tours in Kruger National Park and contiguous reserve.

Claude has a preference for hunting African buffalo.(Photo: Independent).

African wild buffalo, also known as Cape buffalo, is one of the five big continents (Big Five) with lions, leopards, rhinos and elephants. This species can weigh 1,000kg. Some experts estimate they kill 200 people each year. Wild buffalo are widely distributed in eastern and southern Africa and not endangered species. However, hunting of wild buffalo in South Africa is still monitored by authorities and only trophy hunting is organized by professional safari companies.

African wild buffalo are considered dangerous targets, because they can become extremely aggressive and hostile when perceiving themselves in danger. When a member of the herd is attacked by a predator like a lion, the other members will rush to protect. According to Animal Planet, wild buffalo kill more hunters in Africa than any other animal and often ambush predators.