The man from Dallas, Texas, whose name was not disclosed, was found dead last Sunday at a farm in the northern Limpopo province.

He had injuries on his stomach and torso, and a buffalo that had been shot and killed was lying nearby.

A statement from the police said they had been alerted by security personnel at the farm who led them to "a lifeless body of a man already certified dead inside an ambulance".

Buffaloes in South Africa can weigh up to 800 kilos (1,800 pounds) and are among the so-called Big Five of African trophy animals, along with elephants, rhinos, lions and leopards.

Hunting tourism brings in $169 million a year for South Africa, according to a study by a local university released in July.

"Foreign hunters, often wealthy retirees from the United States," spend on average $32,663 per visit, the study found.