Posted on 09/07/2018 11:49:30 AM PDT by simpson96
LONDON -- An American scientist and her young son were fighting for their lives Friday in a South African hospital after being attacked by a giraffe at the wildlife reserve in South Africa where they live. Dr. Katy Williams, 35, and her son Finn, 3, were attacked by the female giraffe close to their home on the Blyde Wildlife Estate near Hoedspruit on Monday. Williams' British husband, Dr. Sam Williams, 36, came back from a run on the estate to find his wife and child being trampled and was able to chase the animal away.
A lawyer for the family, Marina Botha, told CBS News on Friday that both Williams and her son remained in critical but stable condition and were sedated. Katy had a "very long surgery" and Finn had also undergone an operation to release pressure on his brain from injuries sustained during the attack.
Botha told CBS News that she had spoken to the father, who works as a researcher at the reserve, and he said it would be a long recovery but that he and the doctors were pleased to see both patients "holding their own."
The manager of the Blyde estate, Riaan Cilliers, said in a statement that the attacking giraffe had a young calf, and it appeared that the animal had likely mistaken Williams and her son for a threat, prompting the unusual attack. He said both of the Williams are scientists "with post-PhD experience in animal related fields."
He said the couple understand nature after living and working for years in the African bush and that the incident could only be explained as "an act of nature."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
South African film maker Carlos Carvalho, 47, was knocked 16 feet through the air when the giraffe slammed into him with his neck and died of his injuries later in hospital.
Giraffes grow up to 19 feet tall and can weigh over a tonne. Males become aggressive in mating season and females when protecting their young.
it’s always the quiet ones that ya gotta watch out fer
I imagine the mother forgot to tell the giraffe she has a PhD.
Perhaps they can put up some Trample Free Zone signs...
Pit Bulls are the cutest!! Smart and fun loving too.
Gotta wonder what set the giraffe off though. Had to be something. Maybe someone looked like another person that had abused the poor thing.
“Look honey...let’s go pet the pretty giraffe.”
Great flick. Still some of my favorite music.
Why do I not feel bad when bad things happen to academics?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmWUzKaf4Nw Giraffe kills lion.
Hatari = Danger in Swahili
The wrath of G’raffe?
Wonder what ticked the thing off.
Prayers to the family, hope they'll recover.
They mist be naive eco-loons. The father was coming “back from a run”? It seems pretty loony to run for exercise in the African bush. I wonder if there just might be some dangerous animals roaming around?
People these days have a tendency to forget that wild animals are... well... wild.
Of course, she was a scientist so stupidity was ruled right out.
google “giraffe taxidermy” and there’s actually some cool mounts.
You took my idea...that is what I said...Great minds think alike....
I am going to guess that the little boy was excited to see the baby giraffe and went running towards it. The boy’s mother (knowing the danger) ran after him which alarmed the mother giraffe triggering that attack. Do I have any evidence? No.
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