Two female tourists from the UK and New Zealand have been killed by an elephant while on a walking safari in a national park in Zambia, police in the southern African country have said.

The Eastern Province police commissioner, Robertson Mweemba, said the victims, who he named as 68-year-old Easton Janet Taylor from the UK and 67-year-old Alison Jean Taylor from New Zealand, were attacked by a female elephant that was with a calf.

Safari guides who were with the group attempted to stop the elephant from charging at the women by firing shots at it, police said. The elephant was hit and wounded by the gunshots. The guides were unable to prevent the elephant’s attack and both women died at the scene, police said.

It happened at the South Luangwa national park in eastern Zambia, about 600km (370 miles) from the capital, Lusaka.

Female elephants are very protective of their calves and can respond aggressively to what they perceive as threats.

Last year, two American tourists were killed in separate encounters with elephants in different parts of Zambia. In both cases, the tourists were also women and were on a safari vehicle when they were attacked.