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Ernie Dosio, 75, Trampled by Forest Elephants on Licensed Hunt in Gabon

U.S. officials are arranging to return his remains to California following the April 17 attack.

Overview

  • Dosio, who was stalking a yellow‑backed duiker in Gabon’s Lope‑Okanda rainforest, encountered five female forest elephants with a calf on April 17 and the herd charged and killed him.
  • Collect Africa, the safari operator, confirmed the client’s death and said the professional guide was seriously injured and separated from his rifle in the thick vegetation.
  • The U.S. Embassy in Gabon is assisting with the repatriation of Dosio’s remains to Lodi, California.
  • Family members say early notifications were confusing and included conflicting details about what happened.
  • Forest elephants are highly endangered and common in Gabon’s dense rainforests, where close‑range encounters are hard to avoid on duiker hunts that typically use shotguns for small antelope.