South African woman killed by deadly kick from giraffe in northeastern South Africa

South African woman killed by giraffe kick

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa’s press agency says a giraffe has kicked a woman to death at a game farm in northeastern South Africa.

The South African Press Agency said Wednesday that the woman took a walk with her two dogs on the game farm in Limpopo province Saturday morning. The agency, citing South Africa’s Beeld newspaper, says one of the dogs ran towards a herd of giraffe, scaring them. The newspaper says the 25-year-old woman tried to protect the dog, prompting a giraffe to kick her in the neck, killing her.

Giraffes are found in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, which covers part of Limpopo province. Although giraffes subsist on leaves and do not hunt, they are capable of delivering crushing blows with their powerful legs when threatened.