There are a great many creatures in the animal kingdom that can happily coexist with each other, but elephants and wild dogs tend not to be one of the winning combinations.
Elephants tend to take a dim view on the presence of any predators too close to them, as they are fiercely protective of their young calves and all too aware of the threat that hunters pose.
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This footage of an elephant herd rampaging through an area to clear it of wild dogs was sent in to Latest Sightings, and it evidences exactly how much effort elephants will put in to make sure the space of the herd is not penetrated by intruders.
Trying To Relax
The pack of wild dogs had found a likely spot to pass the time, lying comfortably in the grass in the shade beneath some trees. In the heat of the day finding somewhere cool to rest and conserve energy can make a huge difference.
Resting is a requirement for survival, especially for predators which rely on using that energy to hunt their prey. Wild dogs are capable of running over long distances, but not if they’ve already exhausted themselves.
This was a nice spot to stay cool in, until it turned out it was in the path of some grazing elephants that were about to try and force their way through.
Time To Move
For a brief moment it appeared that the wild dogs believed the elephants were going to peacefully pass them by, but this quite quickly turned out to be an illusion.
The moment the elephants came around a large tree and the two groups could see each other clearly, the wild dogs quickly, and wisely, leapt to their feet.
These dogs can bring down animals larger than themselves using pack tactics, but a single fully grown elephant would be a bit much for them, let alone the entire herd that had stumbled across their resting place.
A Helping Hand
The dogs clearly weren’t comfortable with the proximity of the elephants, but they weren’t yet sure which way the encounter would go. The canines were almost all on their feet now, ready to react quickly to whatever the elephants did next.
For their part, elephants typically take a dim view on having predators so nearby. Although the adult elephants knew the chances of the dogs attacking them were low, the dogs might be more tempted to hunt the calves and younger members of the herd.
Because of this, the lead elephant, potentially the matriarch of the herd, decided to give the dogs a helping hand in making the decision to leave the area quickly and permanently by charging at them.
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Back And Forth And Back And Forth
Being charged by an angry adult elephant might have been enough to convince most animals that it wasn’t worth loitering in the area, but this wild dog herd was persistent.
The rest of the elephant herd joined the charge, chasing the wild dogs round in circles when the canines proved to be reluctant to move on. They were quick and agile enough to avoid the stampeding elephant herd, and there was enough room for them to maneuver around them.
It took several minutes of repeated back and forth chases before the elephants finally cleared out the entire pack and the two groups of animals finally went their separate ways.