Don't ever underestimate an elephant.
The beautiful African elephant may appear peaceful in their slow movements, but they are extremely territorial which invokes aggressive protection of their young and the herd.
They are extremely fast on foot despite their size, reaching up to speeds of eighty kilometers an hour.
You would not want not want to be in the pathway of one of those gentle giants when on the rampage.
It was an Easter holiday weekend and many campers were settled in the popular camping resort at Kariba Dam, Zimbabwe.
The thrill of camping 'in the wild' was the attraction.
Fishing from the many small recesses of the waters edge until sunset and coming back to camp with a good catch of Tiger fish was something to be proud of.
But in the simmering heat deeper into the bush was a rogue elephant, wounded by careless hunters who took a shot at an unsuspecting elephant, supposedly missed, and mistakenly moved on looking for another 'kill'.
The wounded elephant began to separate from the rest of the herd to seek solace and relief from the constant pain at his side.
A natural aggression growing in his drive to survive.
The heat was stifling and with water too far off there was little comfort for the rogue.
Suddenly a crunch in the grass behind the elephant.
An inquisitive camper had passed by on the road back to the fenced camping resort and spotted the lonely elephant.
Inexperienced in the reasons for the rogue's separation from the herd, the holiday maker decided to steal a closer look and even considered taking a close up photograph to show off with when he returned to the campsite.
Startled, the bull spun on his heel and came face to face with an animal of the human species.
Associating the painful incident only days before with the smell of this 'creature' that was a mere two metres distance from him, the instinctive reaction was to attack and kill the offending individual.
Within seconds the elephants ears began to flap.
He moved with a slow sway toward the man, rocked back and forth, lowered his head and pulled his ears back tightly, and blundered towards the man with every intention to do serious bodily harm to the point of death.
Yes.
That would satisfy this rogue immensely.
It only took a second for the wide-eyed spectator to figure what was coming.
With grasshopper legs, he sprung sideways in an attempt to run, stumbled, gather his balance again and headed straight back to the road where his vehicle was stationery, with driver side door open and ready for access.
As the man felt soft earth giving way under the strain of his sprint, he felt the aura of the elephant, it was that close.
With the vehicle in sight, the elephant slowed a little in contemplation of the fight with the metal monster and gave up the chase.
The beautiful African elephant may appear peaceful in their slow movements, but they are extremely territorial which invokes aggressive protection of their young and the herd.
They are extremely fast on foot despite their size, reaching up to speeds of eighty kilometers an hour.
You would not want not want to be in the pathway of one of those gentle giants when on the rampage.
It was an Easter holiday weekend and many campers were settled in the popular camping resort at Kariba Dam, Zimbabwe.
The thrill of camping 'in the wild' was the attraction.
Fishing from the many small recesses of the waters edge until sunset and coming back to camp with a good catch of Tiger fish was something to be proud of.
But in the simmering heat deeper into the bush was a rogue elephant, wounded by careless hunters who took a shot at an unsuspecting elephant, supposedly missed, and mistakenly moved on looking for another 'kill'.
The wounded elephant began to separate from the rest of the herd to seek solace and relief from the constant pain at his side.
A natural aggression growing in his drive to survive.
The heat was stifling and with water too far off there was little comfort for the rogue.
Suddenly a crunch in the grass behind the elephant.
An inquisitive camper had passed by on the road back to the fenced camping resort and spotted the lonely elephant.
Inexperienced in the reasons for the rogue's separation from the herd, the holiday maker decided to steal a closer look and even considered taking a close up photograph to show off with when he returned to the campsite.
Startled, the bull spun on his heel and came face to face with an animal of the human species.
Associating the painful incident only days before with the smell of this 'creature' that was a mere two metres distance from him, the instinctive reaction was to attack and kill the offending individual.
Within seconds the elephants ears began to flap.
He moved with a slow sway toward the man, rocked back and forth, lowered his head and pulled his ears back tightly, and blundered towards the man with every intention to do serious bodily harm to the point of death.
Yes.
That would satisfy this rogue immensely.
It only took a second for the wide-eyed spectator to figure what was coming.
With grasshopper legs, he sprung sideways in an attempt to run, stumbled, gather his balance again and headed straight back to the road where his vehicle was stationery, with driver side door open and ready for access.
As the man felt soft earth giving way under the strain of his sprint, he felt the aura of the elephant, it was that close.
With the vehicle in sight, the elephant slowed a little in contemplation of the fight with the metal monster and gave up the chase.