Visiting an African game park can be the experience of a lifetime. It can also be dangerous. In a horrifying incident recently, a Swiss woman who was volunteering at a game park in South Africa was killed by a leopard in her sleep.
The 32-year-old woman was reportedly sleeping earlier this month in a partially covered wooden house, which was not where visitors typically slept. She spent the night there because it was so hot that evening, according to the web site Lowvelder.
The woman’s body was discovered the next morning on a raised deck, indicating that the big cat may have dragged her out of bed. Because of the terrifying nature of the incident, the staff at the camp were said to be receiving counselling.
The Siyafunda Bush Camp advertises volunteer opportunities to take part in research and monitoring opportunities. And while they protect against large predators, the group also issues a warning that there are no fences separating the camp from dangerous animals.
The camp has been operated by Siyafunda Wildlife and Conservation since 2004 reportedly with an excellent safety record. The camp was created to assist efforts in the Greater Makalali Game Reserve, which contains five of the largest top predators.
Photo credit: Dreamstime
