Elephant Survives Poachers’ Bullet In Skull
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Elephant Survives Poachers’ Bullet In Skull

An elephant has survived being shot in the skull by poachers in Zimbabwe.

The male, nicknamed Pretty Boy, is thought to have had the gunshot wound for several weeks before being rescued.

Vets from Aware, an animal conversation trust, spotted him when he came up to their car in Mana Pools National Park.

They had earlier received reports from the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority that two injured elephants were in the park.

The vets noticed a hole in Pretty Boy’s forehead and tranquillised him so he could be treated.

“He came 5cm close to death,” said Dr Lisa Marabini, director of Aware.

“He was lucky. The bullet must have glanced off the surface of his skull.

“After the first shot he must have turned to flee.

“The perpetrator fired another shot at his heart, because he had another abscess in his shoulder.”

Pretty Boy, who is about 25, has been described as “extremely gentle and relaxed” by Aware.

“The day after the treatment, he let us approach within a few metres without batting an eyelid,” said Dr Marabini.

“He could somehow sense that it was our intention to help him.

“He is recovering but it is going to take a while. He may need a second treatment.

“The X-ray showed a lot of infection and pus within his sinuses.

“At least now the pieces of dead bone have been removed, so his body can take over the healing process.”

She added: “Poachers are despicable human beings, driven by greed and destroying the planet’s wildlife heritage to make a few ivory trinkets.”

The previous day, Aware treated an elephant called Ben, thought to have been injured during a fight with another elephant at Matusadona National Park, about 100 miles from Mana Pools.

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