A 65-year-old Japanese tourist has been seriously injured after being attacked by an elephant near Victoria Falls, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).
In a statement on Thursday, ZimParks spokesperson Luckmore Safuli said Hidetoshi Matsumoto was attacked on Wednesday morning while walking alone along Big Tree Road, a route frequently used by visitors near the Victoria Falls Big Tree.
“A 65-year-old Japanese man by the name Hidetoshi Matsumoto, who was staying at the Rainbow Hotel in Victoria Falls, was attacked and injured by an elephant while walking along the Big Tree Road,” Safuli said.
He said the incident occurred at around 8 am.
“The circumstances surrounding the incident are that on 22 April 2026 at around 0800 hours, Hidetoshi Matsumoto was alone walking along the Big Tree Road when an elephant emerged from nowhere and attacked him. Hidetoshi sustained severe injuries all over his body and was immediately rushed to Health Bridge Private Hospital for medical treatment,” he added.
Matsumoto was taken to Health Bridge Private Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.
ZimParks said rangers had been deployed to track down what it described as the “problem elephant”.
“Meanwhile, ZimParks rangers are on the ground searching for the problem elephant,” Safuli said.
He added that further details would be released as investigations continue and efforts to locate the animal progress.
Wildlife authorities have previously warned visitors to exercise caution when walking in areas bordering national parks, where wild animals can roam freely.
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