Asher Watkins, 52, a Texas ranch broker and prominent big-game hunter, was fatally gored by a Cape buffalo during a guided safari in South Africa’s Limpopo Province. The fatal incident occurred on August 3 while Watkins was tracking the animal alongside a professional hunter and a local tracker, as part of a hunt organized by Coenraad Vermaak Safaris, according to mysanantonio.com.
The animal was not wounded and attacked “unprovoked”.
Watkins, a managing partner at Watkins Ranch Group, was well-known in ranching and hunting circles. His ex-wife, Courtney Watkins, and their teenage daughter, Savannah, as well as his mother, brother, and stepfather, were present at the nearby safari lodge when the incident occurred, according to People.
Courtney paid tribute on social media, expressing shock and grief at the sudden loss.
The Cape buffalo is one of Africa’s most formidable and unpredictable large mammals. Found mainly in sub-Saharan Africa, these massive bovines can weigh between 1,000 and 2,000 pounds and stand up to five feet tall at the shoulder.
A common nickname for the specie is “black death” due to their intense nature.