An elephant attacked a car with tourists. A nightmare on safari
A dangerous incident occurred in one of the national parks in South Africa. An elephant attacked a car in which tourists went on safari. The incident was recorded.
A video has appeared on the Internet showing an adult elephant attacking a car in which tourists on safari are sitting. Footage shows terrified guests hiding between seats during a clash between an elephant and a truck in South Africa's Pilanesberg National Park.
An elephant attacked a safari car
The video from Monday's incident shows the elephant lifting the truck from the trunk side several times. The safari car can accommodate up to 22 people. There were tourists inside who were terrified by the animal's behavior. Fortunately, the driver of the car saved his blood in the winter, got out of the vehicle and started hitting its side with his hand to scare the elephant away.
Hendry Blom, a witness who caught the entire incident on camera, told ABC News: “We were especially afraid for the people in the truck because we thought they might die.”
Another video from inside the truck shows terrified tourists cowering on the floor of the vehicle. One woman can be heard praying as the elephant approaches the car.
Poncho Mogodiri, operations manager of Mankwe Game Trackers, the company involved in the incident, told ABC News that the guide and guests were wearing animal skins when the elephant approached. “The hides provide a rare opportunity to discreetly look at wildlife and birds up close,” said representatives of Pilanesberg National Park.
The tourists got too close
Unfortunately, some tourists “came too close to the elephant to take photos, causing it to behave aggressively.” The guide's actions – revving the engine, slamming car doors and shouting to scare the elephant away – were widely praised among wildlife experts. Mogodiri said the guide's reaction was “by the book.”
“Anyone who has ever dealt with elephants will tell you that when a bull like that is charging, you can't turn around and run away. You have to make as much noise as you can and keep going,” said Ron Magill, director of communications at Zoo Miami.
Fortunately, no one was injured. However, one of the families was so distraught that they needed mental support. Pilanesberg National Park said it would be conducting an internal investigation into the incident.
Ultimately, the car safely retreated while the elephant looked on, flapping its ears and standing in the middle of the road.
