A professional hunter and his client broke down in tears after needing seven shots to kill an elephant they had spent four days tracking.
Sky News joined Jofie Lamprecht on a trophy hunt in the north of Namibia after two years of trying to get permission.
His American client had paid for permits to hunt in three conservancies in the Zambezi Region - over woodland savannah with some open flood plains as well as thick forest near the Chobe river.
He wanted to hunt a range of animal including buffalo, zebra and leopard, but his priority was elephant.
"We will be hunting very selectively," Mr Lamprecht told Sky News, "We will only hunt old or mature elephant bulls that have bred already and are near the end of their life."
It took four days of following elephant spore and tracks before he settled on one set which he hoped would be appropriate.
"This is a big track and its in a herd of about 30 bulls," he said. "It's potentially very good."
When we finally caught up with the herd, one old bull was singled out. The drawback for the client was it only had one tusk, the left one had broken off.
"It's got to be the biggest bull we've seen all year," Mr Lamprecht reassured him.
They stood watching the elephants eating just 30 metres away, silent and unmoving.
The aim was to kill the animal with one bullet - a quick death - but it didn't quite work out that way.
The client fired the first shot and it struck the animal on the shoulder. Mr Lamprecht followed up with another shot which, he thought, struck its leg.
The animals reared up in startled fright, bellowing. The professional hunter let out a roar and the elephants backed up and ran.
The injured bull broke off on his own - and the hunters followed in close pursuit.
"This is not what I would have wanted," Mr Lamprecht said. "Now it is even more dangerous because the animal is wounded and frightened and they can become very aggressive. But we must find him."
"To put him out of his pain?" I ask. "Yep," is the reply.
More than four hours later we catch up with the wounded animal, but it takes a further seven shots to finish him off.
The last one is carried out by the client kneeling just feet away. "Shoot him between the ears," Mr Lamprecht shouts. He seems anxious to end it now.
Afterwards, both professional hunter and his client are in tears.
"We do it because we love them," Mr Lamprecht said.
His client is propped up against the elephant carcass, tears running down his face. He can hardly talk, he is so overcome.
The hunt came as Namibia - along with South Africa and Zimbabwe - fights for the right to trade in raw ivory, despite a far more drastic reduction in African elephant numbers than previously thought
4 hrs of chasing after a wounded elephant. Bravo gents. I hope your fucking plane crashes on the way home....
Sky News joined Jofie Lamprecht on a trophy hunt in the north of Namibia after two years of trying to get permission.
His American client had paid for permits to hunt in three conservancies in the Zambezi Region - over woodland savannah with some open flood plains as well as thick forest near the Chobe river.
He wanted to hunt a range of animal including buffalo, zebra and leopard, but his priority was elephant.
"We will be hunting very selectively," Mr Lamprecht told Sky News, "We will only hunt old or mature elephant bulls that have bred already and are near the end of their life."
It took four days of following elephant spore and tracks before he settled on one set which he hoped would be appropriate.
"This is a big track and its in a herd of about 30 bulls," he said. "It's potentially very good."
When we finally caught up with the herd, one old bull was singled out. The drawback for the client was it only had one tusk, the left one had broken off.
"It's got to be the biggest bull we've seen all year," Mr Lamprecht reassured him.
They stood watching the elephants eating just 30 metres away, silent and unmoving.
The aim was to kill the animal with one bullet - a quick death - but it didn't quite work out that way.
The client fired the first shot and it struck the animal on the shoulder. Mr Lamprecht followed up with another shot which, he thought, struck its leg.
The animals reared up in startled fright, bellowing. The professional hunter let out a roar and the elephants backed up and ran.
The injured bull broke off on his own - and the hunters followed in close pursuit.
"This is not what I would have wanted," Mr Lamprecht said. "Now it is even more dangerous because the animal is wounded and frightened and they can become very aggressive. But we must find him."
"To put him out of his pain?" I ask. "Yep," is the reply.
More than four hours later we catch up with the wounded animal, but it takes a further seven shots to finish him off.
The last one is carried out by the client kneeling just feet away. "Shoot him between the ears," Mr Lamprecht shouts. He seems anxious to end it now.
Afterwards, both professional hunter and his client are in tears.
"We do it because we love them," Mr Lamprecht said.
His client is propped up against the elephant carcass, tears running down his face. He can hardly talk, he is so overcome.
The hunt came as Namibia - along with South Africa and Zimbabwe - fights for the right to trade in raw ivory, despite a far more drastic reduction in African elephant numbers than previously thought
4 hrs of chasing after a wounded elephant. Bravo gents. I hope your fucking plane crashes on the way home....
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