Elephants are absolutely incredible animals; they’re the largest land animal on the planet, they’re intelligent, empathetic, and they know how to scare tourists away when they get too close.
This footage was taken in the Makuleke Concession in the Greater Kruger National Park by Lyle, who sent it in to Latest Sightings. It shows just how quickly a close wildlife encounter can escalate.
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While on game drives like this, it’s important to remember that these are still wild animals who will protect themselves if they feel that they are in danger, and to ensure that they have their space.
Majestic Animals
It would appear that Lyle and the rest of the tourist group were either tracking the elephant herd, or they’d seen them coming and were waiting for them to cross the road.
Several elephants emerged from the bush, including a calf that stayed close to an adult throughout the encounter. It’s unclear if the elephants had just crossed the road or were about to before changing their minds.
Their sheer size as they came out of the trees was awe-inspiring, and the two that charged showed some surprising speed, which emphasizes how dangerous animals this large can be.
Too Close For Comfort
The herd seemed peaceful at the beginning of the footage, and elephant herds typically are. Elephants aren’t especially territorial, which makes a charge like this unusual without cause.
Like most animals that live in herds, elephants will try and help each other where required, and they are fiercely protective of their young. Due to the presence of the calf, it’s likely that these two elephants were taking steps to protect it from the vehicle that got too close.
Given their usual calm nature, the only reason for these animals to charge like this is if they believed the vehicle to be a threat. It is also possible, however, that these elephants simply saw an opportunity to show their dominant strength and so increase their social standing in the herd.
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Mock Charges
What’s important to note here is the nature of this charge, and Lyle’s footage demonstrates it clearly. Both elephants trumpeted loudly as they ran, and had their ears fanned out to make them look big.
All of this behavior is intentional to make them seem as big and scary as possible, and thus ward away the threat. This was all indicative of a mock charge, which the elephants confirmed by breaking off the charge before they reached the vehicle.
Luckily, the elephants didn’t harm anyone in this sighting, because they were seeking to scare them away rather than fight them. In the moment, it can be difficult to tell whether or not an elephant is mock charging or actually attacking.
The best way to stay safe is to ensure the elephant never feels the need to charge at all. This is most easily done by staying out of their way as much as possible and giving them their space so they don’t feel threatened.