Visitors to the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KZN witness a “Man that ditches a Toyota to run away from a curious elephant.”
26-year-old Shannon Melville and 24-year-old Byron Melville witnessed a bizarre moment while out on safari in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park with their family. They shared this hilarious sighting with LatestSightings.com:
The Melville family chose Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park as their safari destination of choice for their family visiting from the UK. “We wanted to give our sister and her boyfriend an African safari experience.” Surely they were not disappointed!
“Making our way out of the park on our last day. There was a white Toyota that overtook us and went out of sight around the corner. As soon as we came around that very corner, the sight of a massive bull elephant greeted us. It was strutting along the road in the direction of the Toyota.”
Elephants often walk along roads due to the ease of not having to make their way through the thick bush. Elephants, being such large creatures don’t appreciate disrespect. The key is to give them their space and they will react less aggressively. However, what transpired next with this bull elephant was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“The elephant approached the tiny white Toyota, and we all held our breath. Expecting the elephant to damage this vehicle in some way. Suddenly the passenger door flings open, and out comes a man running! The vehicle was filled with shock, and shortly after, bursts of laughter broke out. At this point, we could not believe our eyes.”
Humans intrinsically have one of three reactions to fear. Fight, flight, or freeze. Clearly the gentleman chose flight as his preferred method of handling the situation.
—WATCH—
“With the man’s sporadic decision to abandon his vehicle. We turned to the elephant and were unsure who was more surprised—the elephant or the man. The elephant displayed signs of shock and confusion as to what had just transpired. Eventually, the elephant decided it may be best for him to move off.”
“After what felt like a lifetime, the running man appeared out of nowhere, got back into his vehicle, and was on his way again. Perhaps his bizarre decision saved his life and his vehicle.”
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The African bush is a place of surprises, and no day will be like another. Fortunately for the Melville family, the elephant moved off, and they were left with laughs and a story that will only be believed when watched.