A luxury trophy hunt in South Africa’s Limpopo Province turned fatal when 52-year-old American millionaire Asher Watkins was gored to death by a Cape Buffalo—an animal often called “Africa’s Black Death.”
Watkins, a prominent real estate broker famed for selling multimillion-dollar ranches, had paid £7,500 for the expedition with Coenraad Vermaak Safaris, one of the nation’s top big-game outfitters. On day one, he successfully brought down a waterbuck. But on day two, while stalking a massive Cape Buffalo—considered the most dangerous animal to hunt on the continent—the tables turned.
Accompanied by a professional hunter and an experienced tracker, Watkins closed in on his quarry. Without warning, the unwounded buffalo spun around and charged at nearly 37 mph, impaling him in a matter of seconds. The safari company called it a “sudden and unprovoked attack” and extended condolences to his family.
His ex-wife, Courtney, described her “shock and heartbreak,” saying she never imagined losing him in such a way. His body is being flown back to the U.S.
The incident has ignited a global firestorm over the ethics of trophy hunting. Critics blasted it as “nature’s revenge” while supporters insisted he had every legal right to pursue game.
In the end, the buffalo walked away uninjured—leaving behind a haunting reminder that in the wild, the hunter can just as easily become the hunted.