Big Game Hunter Trampled To Death By Elephant He Was Preparing To Shoot

Published August 14, 2017
Updated January 9, 2019

Jose Monzalvez was preparing to shoot at a herd of elephants in Namibia when one of them broke free and trampled him to death.

Elephant Tusks

Daniel Hayduk/AFP/Getty Images

Jose Monzalvez was positioning himself to shoot at a herd of elephants when one of the creatures noticed the threat and began to charge.

The 46-year-old Argentine hunter was trampled and killed on Saturday during a hunting expedition near Kalkfeld, Namibia, reports the Namibia Press Agency according to the Independent.

Monzalvez, who worked for an oil company, had a hunting permit with him in the private wildlife area and was accompanied by another Argentine and three Namibians at the time of his death.

The incident comes just months after Theunis Botha, a famous big game hunter, was killed by an elephant picking him up with his trunk and then falling on top of him.

Dead Elephant

Theunis Botha Big Game SafarisTheunis Botha (right) on a hunt with a client.

In another recent event, an entire elephant herd trampled one poacher and severely injured another in India.

All that said, in both of the cases above, the hunters were not breaking any laws.

Elephant hunting is, in fact, legal in some countries (with significant restrictions to deter poachers), many species of elephants are not currently classified as endangered, and some hunters even make the argument that the hunting industry helps raise money for conservation efforts.

Legal or not, if you don’t want a giant and majestic creature to crush you to death with its 13,000-pound body, maybe don’t try to murder it.


Next, read up on the infamous lion killer who fell 100 feet to his death during a hunt.

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All That's Interesting
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Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
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John Kuroski
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John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.