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Sydney vet Jenna O'Grady Donley had travelled the world pursuing her passion for wildlife conservation, and looked at ease among lions, cheetahs and elephants in Africa.
But just a week out from her official graduation from the University of Sydney, Ms O'Grady Donley died when she was gored by a pygmy elephant while trekking with a friend in a remote wildlife park in Borneo.
Her mother has described the death of her only child as a tragic accident.
Liz Donley told ABC Radio that her 25-year-old daughter had achieved a lot in the veterinary science field.
"This was an animal by itself, and they startled it," she said.
"Both her friend and Jenna weren't reckless people - they're very measured and careful, respectful of animals' environments. So this is an accident that's happened - a very tragic accident."
Ms O'Grady Donley, was walking with her friend and a local guide in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve on Borneo island in Malaysia yesterday morning, when the rare pygmy elephant charged at the group.
She died instantly when one of the elephant's tusks pierced her body, State Wildlife Department director Laurentius Ambu said
Dr Ambu told The Star newspaper in Malaysia that the group had gone to a mud volcano and went off the trail to take photographs of the animal.
Dr Ambu said the women had stopped about 10 metres away and started taking pictures, which might have startled the elephant.
The victim's friend and the guide escaped.
Ms O'Grady Donley was an accomplished student at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Veterinary Science, and won a pathology award last year.
While she had completed her degree, she was due to graduate at a ceremony next week, a university spokesman said.
Her mother said she hoped Ms O'Grady Donley's work, which included a thesis on renal failure in big cats, would have a lasting legacy.
"It has happened and, from that, we have to move on with a positive note - that from Jenna's work and from the type of person that she was, we know that she had many friends, good family - and someone else now will take on that research and continue it."
One of the vet's university internship supervisors, Edla Arzey, said she had great potential.
Police are questioning the guide.
Pygmy elephants, which are about 2½ metres tall compared with about three metres for mainland Asian elephants, are unique to Borneo.
