A South African anti-poaching champion was gored to death by a 2,900 pound rhinoceros after caring for the animal during a morning patrol.

Schoeman van Jaarsveld was surveying the Samara Karoo Reserve, located in the heart of South Africa’s Great Karoo region, when a double horned rhino burst out of cover and fatally impaled him, The US Sun reported.

The tragic, freak accident took place on Thursday around 10:30 a.m. local time.

By the time emergency crews rushed to the scene, van Jaarsveld, 58, had already died from his injuries.

A 2,900 pound black rhino fatally imapled conservationist Schoeman van Jaarsveld, 58, in South Africa.…