An American businessman and experienced big-game hunter, Ernie Dosio, has died after a fatal encounter with elephants during a hunting expedition in Gabon, officials confirmed.
Dosio, 75, a vineyard owner from Lodi, California, was reportedly tracking a yellow-backed duiker—an antelope species—inside the Lope-Okanda National Park when the incident occurred. He was accompanied by a professional hunting guide when the group unexpectedly came across a herd of five female elephants, including a calf.
According to safari operator Collect Africa, the encounter escalated quickly. The guide suffered serious injuries during the incident, while Dosio was fatally crushed.
The company said the elephants appeared startled during the sudden encounter, suggesting the situation developed rapidly in dense rainforest terrain.
Dosio was a well-known figure in the Sacramento Safari Club and had spent years participating in licensed hunting expeditions across Africa. Over time, he reportedly built an extensive collection of hunting trophies, including elephants and lions, all obtained under regulated conservation frameworks.
Beyond his hunting activities, Dosio owned Pacific AgriLands Inc, a California-based agricultural company managing approximately 12,000 acres of vineyard property in Modesto.
Authorities are currently coordinating efforts to repatriate his remains to the United States.
The incident comes after a similar fatal case last year, when another American hunter was killed by a buffalo during a safari in South Africa, highlighting the persistent risks associated with big-game hunting expeditions.
