California millionaire trampled to death by elephants while on African hunting expedition

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A California vineyard owner has died after being crushed by elephants while on a hunting expedition in Africa. Ernie Dosio, 75, was hunting yellow-backed duikers in Gabon when the deadly April 17 incident occurred. Dosio, who kept an extensive collection of animal heads in his home, was trampled to death when he and his guide stumbled into five female elephants with a calf in the Lope-Okanda rainforest, the Daily Mail reported.

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An unnamed hunter in Cape Town who knew Dosio told the news outlet that Dosio had been "hunting since he could hold a rifle and had many trophies from Africa and the U.S."

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Ernie had booked a hunt for dwarf forest buffalo and duikers — in particular, the yellow-backed duiker — and, under strict licensing laws, he could not take along his own guns." The hunting company would supply a shotgun and cartridges for the duiker hunt, he said. The hunter added he believes Dosio and his guide surprised the elephants, who attacked because they felt threatened.

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"I would rather not go into detail, but it is safe to assume it would have been quick," he said. "Ernie was a very well-known and popular hunter in the U.S. and in Africa and a very keen conservationist; he did a hell of a lot of charity work and was a really good guy. What happened has been deeply felt by many on both sides of the Atlantic."

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