The elephant charged Alison Taylor first, who had ongoing issues with one of her legs.

Local police said guides fired shots at and wounded the elephant, but were unable to stop its attack, and the two women were killed.

Councillor Geoff Hayward from Porirua City Council said the long-time Tītahi Bay resident represented the “best of the bay”.

He said she was an important part of her local community, an “open, cheerful” volunteer who gave her time to help others through her work at the Porirua Citizens Advice Bureau, where she served as Deputy Chair.

“There’s something about a person who gives up their time to help someone else,” Hayward said, telling Stuff that Taylor “just represents the best of us”.

“And I think the sorrow that we all feel is a reflection of losing someone who, by their example, showed that we can give more.

“Tragedies like this always remind us of just how precious our time is. She certainly lived a full life and we were all beneficiaries of it.”

Taylor’s colleagues at the Porirua Citizens Advice Bureau said she was “a valued and highly effective volunteer” and “will be profoundly missed”.

Studies at Otago University and the London School of Economics bookended time working in Wellington before Taylor launched into a long career in the public service in the capital, working for the Treasury and Statistics NZ before starting her own consultancy.

“Alison was a very special person and will be greatly missed by her family, friends and work colleagues,” a close friend told Stuff.

“Her family request privacy at this time.”

Zambia’s Eastern Province Police Commissioner Robertson Mweemba earlier gave details of the incident, saying a member of the guiding party first saw the animal and shouted “Elephant!”

“As they turned to see, they saw it charging at a high speed and due to the fact that Alison Jean Taylor had a leg problem, she was caught first,” Mweemba said.

In a statement, Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the two women. It said an investigation was ongoing.

“Zambia’s national parks are globally renowned for offering exceptional and authentic wildlife experiences. However, we wish to remind all visitors that these experiences take place in wilderness settings where wildlife behaves unpredictably,” the tourism ministry said.

“As such, we urge all guests to exercise caution and strictly follow the safety guidelines provided by their tour guides and escort scouts at all times.”