The Brilliant Bull
At Old Mondoro Camp in Lower Zambezi National Park, guests and staff alike were treated to a hilarious wildlife encounter when a clever elephant found itself in quite the predicament…
The video, captured by wildlife photographer Mark Nicholson back in 2021, begins peacefully. A small group of elephants is seen meandering through the camp, enjoying a warm day as they often do.
Mike described that room 5 at the lodge sits right under a winterthorn tree that attracts many animals due to its delicious pods. Elephants in particular happen to love these pods, but especially elephants.
One of the resident elephants, a young bull, had learned to climb into the bathroom to collect the tree pods. Unfortunately, he would always make a huge mess in the process.
The staff had built a rope fence in hopes of deterring him, but like all elephants, he was clever. The elephant quickly adapted and learned to climb over the fence and back out without breaking it, and Mike knew he had to capture this whole ordeal on camera!
On this particular day, Mike was told the elephant had once again gained access to the bathroom. He quickly ran to room 5 and managed to capture the elephant just as it was exiting the tub!
“I made it just in time to capture the funny scene with my phone, just shows what [these] incredible animals are capable of.”
Puzzled In the Pool
Mike’s footage immediately cuts to the elephant knees deep (literally) in trouble. It’s standing in the pool, completely filling the space as if this were some sort of luxury spa retreat!
The sight was both comical and absurd: a full-grown elephant wedged into a human-sized pool, calmly contemplating how to exit. The real challenge wasn’t the elephant’s size though, it was the fence.
The massive animal, however, seemed unfazed by the obstacle as it had done this many times before. It lifted its front legs over the fence with surprising ease, but then came the hard part: the back legs.
A Semi-Graceful Exit
For a few hilarious seconds, the elephant was stretched out like a piece of saltwater taffy! Its front legs were firmly planted on the ground outside the pool, but its back legs were still perched on the higher step inside the fence, unable to find the right angle.
The elephant paused, shifted its weight, and even appeared to reassess the situation as if it knew that one wrong step could lead to an embarrassing tumble. With all the grace it could muster, the elephant finally summoned the power to hoist itself completely over the fence.
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It even did so without slipping, falling, or knocking anything over! Eventually, it walked off unbothered, perhaps with a slightly bruised ego, but with no physical harm done.
When an Elephant Wanders Where It Shouldn’t
Elephants are well-known for their intelligence and curiosity. They’ve been caught opening gates, stealing fruit, and in this case, breaking into fenced areas.
They’re especially drawn to their favourite food sources, and when they learn a new behaviour, it’s almost impossible to stand in their way. Because of their size, elephants don’t always lend themselves to fancy footwork, especially when manmade barriers are involved.
This sighting is more than just a funny moment, it’s a reminder of the unexpected interactions that happen when wild spaces overlap with human comforts. Thankfully, no animals or guests were hurt during the encounter, and the elephant emerged triumphant in the end.
For everyone at Old Mondoro Camp, this encounter provided a once-in-a-lifetime story and a memory they will not soon forget.