Amir witnessed one such elephant’s majesty first hand in this memorable sighting.
Elephant trumpets to signal dominance
The elephant had spied some lionesses in the vicinity and clearly wasn’t too happy about this!
He charged towards the lionesses with a trumpet of fury, demonstrating great power and ethereal trumpeting ability. He broke through the bush in a moment, leaving the viewers behind the camera audibly gasping.
His thundering steps could be heard, as could the sound of branches breaking and leaves being pushed aside by his movement.
Ahead of his, the lionesses scattered, as taken by surprise by the elephant’s sudden charging behaviour as the spectators in the vehicle.
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The lionesses didn’t even try to challenge this hefty fellow. He had made it clear that this was his territory and that he didn’t want them there. That was all the convincing they needed to sprint away as fast as they could.
In places such as Kruger National Park, it is not unusual for a lone elephant or a protective herd member to chase lions away from an area or to drive them onto nearby roads or open spaces.
Although lions are formidable hunters, they understand the risk involved in confronting a fully grown elephant. One well-placed charge or swing of the trunk can seriously injure or kill a lion.
Elephant flaps ears and brandishes tusks in fury
The elephant continued to follow the lionesses as they ran away from him. He flapped his great ears and brandished his tusks like swords.
The lionesses ran well out of his way. No doubt the viewers in the car also felt just a little uneasy! A charging elephant presents a formidable force.
The lionesses continued to make their way through the bush across the road, away from the elephant’s rampage.
Lions generally avoid hunting elephants unless they are working as a coordinated pride and targeting a very young calf or a weakened individual. Even then, the risk is enormous.
Adult elephants are known to defend calves fiercely, forming protective circles around them and charging at any approaching predator. Because of this, when an elephant chases lions, the lions usually retreat quickly rather than attempt to stand their ground.
The open road, a quick escape route
Scenes where an elephant drives lions onto a road often occur because the open space provides the lions with a quick escape route.
Lions are pragmatic survivors and rarely fight battles they cannot win. When faced with an angry elephant thundering toward them, retreating across a road or open clearing is the safest option.
A reminder that the bushveld is full of surprises
Fortunately for these startled lionesses, they managed to get out of harm’s way.
Such encounters highlight the complex hierarchy of the African wilderness. Even though lions are often called the ‘king of the jungle’, animals like elephants remind us that dominance in the bushveld is not absolute.
Strength, size, intelligence, and circumstance all play a role, and in this instance, determination from the elephant’s side was the ultimate game-changer.