7 burned to death in S. Africa township 'mob' attack: police
Pero Jelenic was hunting lions when he died
A big game hunter has been killed by a stray bullet during a trip shooting lions in South Africa.
Pero Jelenic, a 75-year-old man from Croatia, was hit as he tracked captive-bred lions near Setlagole, in the country’s north-west province.
Charlize van der Linden, a spokesman for South Africa’s police, told News24 that Mr Jelenic had already killed one lion when he was fatally injured.
He was taken to Vryburg hospital but couldn’t be saved, she said.
“A case of culpable homicide has been opened, and police are also investigating charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition,” Ms van de Linden added. “At this stage it is not clear who fired the fatal shot that killed Mr Jelenic. Our investigations are ongoing.”
Slavko Pernar, a friend of Mr Jelenic’s, told the Croatian newspaper Jutarnji List that he was a “passionate hunter” who had leased his hotel in order to travel the world, hunting animals.
Every year hundreds of lions are bred in captivity across South Africa for the purpose of being placed onto private game reserves for hunting.
It is a controversial practice, with some lions left to grow up in small enclosures and easily shot by hunters.
Supporters of captive breeding argue it contributes to conservation.
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