Stampeding Elephants Remind Tourists Why You Stay In Your Car on Safari

Not to shock you, but animals in the wild can act… well, wild. Kruger National Park is home to a wide variety of animals. It is undoubtedly among the best in Africa. Safaris in the Greater Kruger Park provide a distinctive selection of opulent game lodges, safaris, activities, and trips to ensure that your encounter with wildlife is nothing short of amazing.

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Tourists pulled over on a road in the popular park and got to witness a once-in-a-lifetime animal encounter. Visitors began to get out of their vehicles as they noticed a massive elephant begin to cross the road. 

Several more elephants began to follow and make their way across to a field. Things heat up pretty quickly as the elephant spots two young children straight ahead. The gentle giant charges at the kids as they begin to literally run for their lives.

Elephants are large and possess great strength. They could easily defeat most adversaries, but in order to prevent pointless war, they have created a defensive tactic. In a sense, they aren’t trying to get you. In actuality, they are typically only hostile during intense poaching. There are primarily two sorts of charges made by elephants: bluff charges and attack charges.

A bluff charge’s sole purpose is to prevent a threat from getting any closer. The elephant won’t actually attack you, but it wants you to know that it’s serious. It will appear larger because its ears will be spread widely. It will do “displacement actions” by swaying from side to side and turning its legs. Its trunk won’t be propped up and in front of the elephant’s body. Instead, it will wobble or droop down in front of the elephant, which is exactly what we see in this video. 

Scaring an Elephant

As the herd runs after the tourists, everyone begins honking their horns in hopes of deterring the giant animals. The kids get out of the way and the elephants settle down and continue on their path. We’re thankful that everyone made it out of the situation okay because it could’ve ended very differently. 

If you’re ever in a similar situation, you’re supposed to stay as calm as possible. Keep in mind that if you expose them to people frequently, they are intelligent and can read your body language. This entails speaking softly and refraining from gesticulating or banging one’s chest. If all goes according to plan, the elephant will quit making bluff charges and eventually turn docile-looking.

Simply put, the elephant wants you to leave its personal space. You don’t necessarily have to leave. You could do it if you can run and are wearing comfortable shoes. You have the option to yell in this situation if they continue to approach you despite your composure. It demonstrates your lack of fear and your potential to be a threat if they go closer.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Sergey Uryadnikov/Shutterstock.com