Asher Watkins died after he was attacked by a buffalo while on a hunting safari in South Africa, Coenraad Vermaak Safaris said in a statement.
DALLAS — A Dallas real estate executive died on a South African hunting safari after a buffalo he was tracking attacked him, safari company officials said.
Asher Watkins, 52, was on a guided safari led by Coenraad Vermaak Safaris in South Africa’s Limpopo Province when the attack occurred, according to a statement from the safari company.
On Aug. 3, Watkins was fatally injured while tracking an unwounded buffalo with a professional hunter and tracker, the statement reads. The safari company described the attack as “sudden and unprovoked.”
“This is a devastating incident, and our hearts go out to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Coenraad Vermaak Safaris said. “We are doing everything we can to support the family members who are here with us and those back in the United States as they navigate this tragic loss.”
On the safari company’s website, they describe the cape buffalo as “the most dangerous animal to pursue in Africa, let alone the world,” adding that the animal is responsible for “several deaths and many injuries to hunters each year.”
“Buffalo are known to charge unprovoked but when they are wounded it is advisable to be prepared for the worst,” the website reads. “Buffalo hunting is thrilling and exhilarating, placing this formidable species at the top of every hunter’s wish list!”
Watkins was the managing partner of Watkins Ranch Group, a real estate company specializing in “elite ranch and land properties,” the company’s website states. The firm is an affiliate of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty and LIV Sotheby’s International Realty.
He previously sold multi-million-dollar ranch properties in Arkansas, Colorado and Texas.
Watkins was raised in Dallas and worked on his family’s hunting and cattle ranch, according to his biography posted to the Watkins Ranch Group website. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, according to his online biography and social media posts. He was a life member of the Dallas Safari Club and the American Association of Professional Landmen.
“(Coenraad Vermaak Safaris) will continue to support the family in the days and weeks ahead and we are cooperating fully with all the relevant authorities to ensure all procedures are followed,” the safari company said.
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