Texas real estate tycoon killed by buffalo while trophy hunting in South Africa, safari says

LIMPOPO, South Africa – An executive at a Texas-based real estate company, known for selling multimillion dollar ranches, was killed while on a trophy-hunting safari in South Africa, the safari company said.

Asher Watkins, the managing partner of Watkins Ranch Group, was killed by a buffalo while hunting in the Limpopo Province with Coenraad Vermaak Safaris, its chief executive Hans Vermaak announced Monday.

Vermaak described the attack as “sudden and unprovoked,” and said the buffalo was not wounded at the time of the attack.

Watkins was tracking the buffalo with one of the company’s professional hunters and one of its trackers, the statement said.

Due to the “devastating” nature of the incident, Vermaak said the company would not share further details about the incident.

Vermaak said the company will continue to support the family in the days and weeks ahead.

Watkins Ranch Group’s website has been wiped since Watkins’ death, but the company’s social media account describes itself as selling “legendary ranches” in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Colorado.

Its Instagram page shows listings for properties from $500,000 to $23.5 million since the beginning of the year.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State told KSAT it is aware of reports about the death of a U.S. citizen in South Africa, but has no further comment at this time.

Read more on KSAT:

• Dog euthanized after biting, killing owner on North Side, ACS says
• Child bit by father’s pet kangaroo at far Northwest Side home, ACS says
• Woman says octopus attacked her 6-year-old son at San Antonio Aquarium, calls for changes