Renowned Beitbridge Conservationist Killed By Wounded Buffalo

Prominent conservationist, John Digby Bristow, was killed by a wounded buffalo he was trying to nurse on Wednesday.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZIMPARKS) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the tragic incident on Friday. He posted on X:

It is with great sadness that a 65 year old Safari Operator John Briston was gored to death by a wounded buffalo. He was following the wounded buffalo with a view of removing a snare on its leg.

Bristow’s wife Vannesa Bristow, told the Southern Eye that the now-deceased was gored by the buffalo he was taking care of at a rented property at Mateke Hills in the Bubi area of Mwenezi district, 90km north of Beitbridge. She said:

We arrived at 18:30 hours and he went straight to where the buffalo was but it charged at him. He tried to shoot it but missed and it took him down.

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It happened so fast we were 30 metres from him and the injured animal pinned him down and kept pounding him.

He tried to crawl out of its grip but a lot of damage had been done. He succumbed to the injuries some minutes later when we took him to safety.

Bristow was famed for his contribution to the establishment of the Mapungubwe Transfrontier Park shared among Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.

Bristow also contributed to the end of white settler minority rule in Zimbabwe by taking care of young people leaving the country for Botswana to join the armed struggle.

He was a friend of the late former Vice President of Zimbabwe, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo whom he hosted numerous times at his Sentinel Ranch 120km west of Beitbridge.

More: Pindula News