The man was fleeing the parks when he came across a herd of elephants.
A poacher suspect was killed by a herd of breeding elephants he encountered while fleeing guards, according to South African officials.
Three people tried to flee after being seen by guards at Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa, on Saturday, South African National Park officials said.
After one of the suspects was captured, he told foresters that the group came across a herd of elephants, adding that he was not sure if his alleged accomplice managed to escape, officials said.
The rangers later found the man “severely trampled” and dead from his injuries.
Investigators say they are still looking for the third suspect, who continued to flee after suffering an eye injury.
The men are suspected of trying to poach the rhinos, according to officials. A rifle and an ax were recovered from the investigation, officials said.
“The anti-poaching campaign is everyone’s responsibility; it threatens many livelihoods, destroys families and takes the necessary resources to fight crime, which could be used to create jobs and development,” said Gareth Coleman, executive director of Kruger National Park. said in a statement.
Liezl Thom of ABC News contributed to the report.