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A charging elephant can be a terrifying sight. But even one of the massive animals walking on a mission is something to watch. In the video below, a gigantic elephant speeds up as it approaches a car on a dusty road. Once the giant animal reaches the car, it uses its tusks to absolutely annihilate the windshield. Cracks appear quickly and the driver is fast to get out of a potentially very dangerous situation.
The short video clip captures some of the most exciting moments that these visitors likely experienced all day. The elephant doesn’t make a fast approach to the car but the damage that he does is obvious from the first crack. As the animal gets closer, the people behind the camera get quieter and quieter. Just when the tension is at its peak, the elephant presses against the windshield, cracking it.
The vehicle backs up, the camera still rolling, to get away from the elephant. Unfortunately for the animal, it seems to be limping as the vehicle gets further away. Even though it did damage to the windshield, it’s likely that the animals also sustained some cuts and injuries.
Is This Normal Elephant Behavior?
These gentle giants are typically some of the less aggressive animals in their environment but they can throw their considerable weight around if they feel threatened. In this video clip, the elephant didn’t need to run down the road at full speed to make his feelings known. Even as he approached the car calmly, the people inside could tell that things were about to get intense.
These majestic animals aren’t usually territorial but they can act to defend other elephants, especially babies. It’s possible that calves were nearby and this adult perceived the car as a threat to them. Male elephants can also get into fights with other males over mates. Maybe this elephant thought that the car was getting in the way of a love connection. It’s also possible that this particular animal was just curious and didn’t realize what would happen when he pushed against the glass of the windshield.
No matter the reason, we’re glad that all of the people made it out of the encounter unhurt and that the elephant was also able to continue away under its own power.
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