The terrifying footage taken at the Selati Game Reserve, near the Kruger Great Park in South Africa, shows a sexually aggressive bull elephant charge safari trucks with its tusk slicing through the bodywork
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Eco-students forced to flee truck after elephants attack vehicle
A 13ft enraged elephant charged at safari trucks packed full of tourists and students – leaving them all running for their lives.
A terrifying video shows the moment the six-tonne creature attacked the vehicles as the scared passengers quickly fled to safety.
The elephant turned aggressive when the two 11-seater trucks came close to its breeding herd.
The shocking footage was captured at Selati Game Reserve, on the edge of the Kruger Great Park in South Africa.
Two elephants can seen wandering towards the vehicle when another suddenly charged from the left.
It then uses its tusks to shift the vehicle off the path as those on board shout for help.
Two elephants approach the truck as those on board are excited to get up close
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Image:
Pafuri/WhatsApp)
Then from nowhere, an aggressive third suddenly appears
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Image:
Pafuri/WhatsApp)
The animal’s tusks sliced through the bodywork of the safari truck with the frightened tourists still seated.
The 40-second attack ends just as the elephant threatens to roll the vehicle over.
The clip concludes by showing the damage to the side of the twisted truck as everyone on the safari had a very lucky escape.
Bull elephants become sexually aggressive and violent as their testosterone levels multiply by up to 60 times when they are ready to breed.
The giant creature is angry, and lets the tourists know it
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Image:
Pafuri/WhatsApp)
The safari truck’s bodywork is twisted such is the force of the attack
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Image:
Pafuri/WhatsApp)
EcoTraining, who run the park, said mating season was behind the incident.
“Elephant bulls in musth experience high testosterone levels and may display aggressive behaviour,” managing director Anton Lategan said in a statement.
“The vehicle stopped to observe the elephants and give them a chance to settle down. An elephant bull, which was with the breeding herd, mock charged the vehicle.
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“The elephant bull mock charged again when they moved forward slowly and then made contact with the game drive vehicle and displaced it off the road,”
Selati Game Reserve general manager Bryan Havemann said: “Although the vehicle was damaged, thankfully, none of the people in the vehicle were injured.”
EcoTraining confirmed everyone involved in the incident received counselling.
It comes three years after respected safari ranger Mark Lautenbach, 33, was trampled to death by a sexually-charged bull elephant.
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