Anti-Rhino poaching conservationist, 58, is gored to dying by 1,300kg endangered animal he helped rescue whereas out on early morning patrol

An anti-rhino poaching conservationist who devoted his life to saving the endangered animal was horrifically gored to death by one whilst out on patrol.

Schoeman van Jaarsveld, 58, was on a morning patrol with his team at the Samara Karoo Reserve in South Africa when a 1,300kg double-horned rhino burst out of cover and impaled him.

By the time emergency services arrived at the scene, Mr van Jaarsveld had already died from his horrific injuries and was pronounced dead at around 10.30am on Thursday.

The rhino was screamed at by the rest of Mr van Jaarsveld’s patrol and it backed off into the 68,000-acre reserve without any shots being fired. 

Mr van Jaarsveld, who had run his own armed private security company protecting, was trying to track the black rhino through a GPS device strapped on its ankle.  

He was on morning patrol with his team, in an attempt to keep the rare white and black rhinos safe from poaching gangs who killed 352 rhinos last year alone just for their horns.

The rhino’s horns are hacked from their bodies with axes and smuggled and sold to the Far East to make herbal potions, and are more valuable per ounce than cocaine or gold.

The dedicated conservationist carried out day and night patrols not just at Samara but at a number of surrounding game reserves to protect their animals from poachers.

Tributes were paid to Mr van Jaarsveld by friends and colleagues who described him as a ‘very good man’.

Field ranger Arno Potgeiter, 27, who was trained by him, said: ‘He was very good at his job and I was told he was out trying to track down a black rhino.

‘Something went very wrong and they came face to face and my friend was badly gored.

His tragic death came the day after it was revealed millionaire US big game hunter Ernie Dosio, 75, was killed after being ambushed by five elephants in Central Africa.

The father-of-two from Lodi, California, had hunted all over Africa and the USA and had three rooms at his home full of trophies including rhino, lion, elephant and leopard.

Mr Dosio, 75, a wealthy vineyard owner, was killed on April 17 after being charged and crushed by a herd of elephants deep in Gabon’s rainforest.

According to officials and hunting company statements, Mr Dosio had been on a $40,000 guided expedition in the Lopé-Okanda rainforest – tracking a rare yellow-backed duiker, a shy forest antelope.

He was accompanied by a professional hunter when the pair unexpectedly encountered a group of five female forest elephants with a calf.

Hidden by dense vegetation, the elephants appeared ‘as if from nowhere,’ according to a retired game hunter familiar with the incident. Feeling threatened, the herd charged immediately.

The professional hunter was struck first, seriously injured and separated from his rifle – and that left Mr Dosio, armed only with a shotgun intended for smaller game, exposed in the thick undergrowth.

Both tragedies follow that of South African Gary Freeman, 65, trampled to death by an elephant last week at the Klaserie Private Game Reserve which he was co-owner of.

Keen conservationist Mr Freeman, who was armed chose not to fire his weapon at the 6-ton beast, keeping to his mantra he would rather die by elephant than have to kill one.

He was leading a group of tourists on a guided hike when he brandished his revolver to try to scare off the animal but did not pull the trigger.

A source said the elephant was ‘very quickly’ on Mr Freeman, who was a co-owner of the 148,000-acre Klaserie Private Nature Reserve.  

Klaserie is to the west of the Kruger National Park 800 miles north of Samara which is near Graaf-Reinet and home to the Big 5 of lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo and elephant.

A Samara Karoo Reserve spokesman said: ‘Schoeman was out on foot when a tragic incident occurred during his anti-poaching duties with his highly professional team.

‘The incident happened at 10.30am when the rhino attacked. The emergency services were called but there was nothing that could be done and he was declared dead.

‘Another member of the security team was slightly injured. No shots were fired and the black rhino was not hurt. A full investigation is underway into just what happened.

‘Our thoughts are with Schoeman’s family and friends and as a mark of respect we will be helping with the funeral following the tragic loss of a member of the Samara team.

‘Schoeman was dedicated to conservation work and he and his team from Milk River Security are responsible for invaluable work protecting our wildlife and rhinos.

‘They provide similar anti-poaching patrols and protection at other nearby reserves’. He will be sadly missed but his work to protect our rhinos and wildlife continues’ she said.

A full investigation is being carried out into the rhino attack, but it is believed no action will be taken against the black rhino, which has displayed no danger signs before.

South Africa is home to most of the world’s rhino population and has been battling a relentless poaching crisis for years with black rhinos being critically endangered.

Only 6487 remain in the wild according to the World Wildlife Fund of which 2006 are in South Africa all being protected on the front line from heavily armed poachers.

A close friend of Schoeman’s said: ‘He was a dedicated professional and was very tough and bush-wise and spent his life out in the wilds looking for the bad guys.

‘His loss has been deeply felt among the anti-poaching community and it is even more tragic that his life was taken by the very animal he was trying to keep safe.

‘The Samara rhinos are fitted with GPS tracking devices on their ankles and Schoeman and his team were tracking down one particular black rhino to check on its welfare.

‘It simply seems as if they bumped into each other and the rhino fatally attacked him.

‘The tragedy is a rhino cannot tell those who wear capes from those who don’t. Rhinos are under constant threat and when faced with humans can react badly.

‘The attack was just explosive and Schoeman took the rhino’s horn. The injury was basically untreatable without immediate medical help which was not available.

‘A number of us will be meeting to have a drink for our friend tonight’ he said.

The black rhino can weigh up to 1.4 tons and is 1.6m high at the shoulder. The have poor eyesight beyond 30m but a powerful sense of smell to track down threats.

The black male rhino lives a solitary life and is extremely territorial. It is the second largest land mammal to the elephant but is unpredictable and highly dangerous.