After a bull elephant sex-crazed six-ton charged their vehicle while they were on tour in South Africa, this is when eco-students became terrified and had to flee for their lives.
Trainee guides were being driven through Selati Game Reserve on the edge of the Kruger National Park in South Africa on Sunday when they were charged by a bull elephant in ‘musth’ – a state of sexual aggression that occurs during mating season.
The moment the open-topped vehicle was being driven down the narrow dirt road, when the bull burst into action. He pawed the ground and trumpeted before hitting the car on the side and lifting it from the road.
Additional footage taken by EcoTraining guides from the car shows how the vehicle was turned by a 13ft elephant. This sent three students fleeing for their lives.
Trainee safari guides were on a tour of the Selati Game Reserve in South Africa when their vehicle was charged by a bull elephant in a state of sexual aggression known as ‘musth’
Six-ton elephant male pierced vehicle with his tusks, before lifting it off the road. (left), easily cutting through metal bodywork (right).
Photographs taken after the attack show that the elephant had pored through the metal structure and shredded it.
They were then taken to the Safari Lodge where they received counselling and were unharmed.
The staff had to leave the vehicle behind and returned it to the office only after the elephants had left.
According to some reports, the attack was carried out by the dominant male elephant of the herd. He became furious when trucks approached his daughters.
Bull elephants become sexually aggressive when they are ready for breeding. Where testosterone levels may increase by as much as sixty-fifty times.
They can become aggressive, territorial and even violent and may target rivals or anyone who happens to be in their path.
The killing of captive elephants in musth has been documented. However, wild elephants are said to be able to wander into villages and trample on around 500 people each year.
Students were enrolled in EcoTraining’s course, a South African school that teaches tour guides as well as ‘nature guardians’.
EcoTraining takes place at 18,000 acres of Selati Game Reserve, which houses 135 elephants along with black and white rhinos, lions and leopards.
After ordering the trainee guides from the vehicle, the instructors escaped (right). Nobody was injured.
The attack left significant damage to the vehicle (left), and the front passenger seat was buckled and damaged (right). However, it was still empty at the time.
Anton Lategan, Managing Director said that EcoTraining trainers and instructors came upon a herd of elephants on a regular activity and decided to let them settle down.
The vehicle was mock-charged by an elephant bull that was in the herd.
“The elephant bull charged once more, moving slowly forward, then making direct contact with the vehicle that was driving the game and dislodging it from the road.
“Once the vehicle came to a complete halt, the trainees were taken to the second vehicle, parked close by 25 year-old instructors,” he stated.
Bryan Havemann, the General Manager at Selati Game Reserve said that although the vehicle sustained severe damage, no one was hurt.
An eco-student captured the footage on the second safari vehicle and it has since gone viral.
Mark Lautenbach (33), a leading safari ranger, was killed when a bull elephant broke into his lodge in a game parks on a rampage.
Mark tried to get the angry elephant out of a tourist spot at Leopard Rock Lodge, on the Madikwe Game Reserve.
The six-ton bull was a hormonal beast and required professional guide as well as wildlife photographer.
Mark inflicted ‘extensive wounds’ on Mark, and beat him up out of the bush.
Elephants can live for up to 70years and, at 25mph, can beat a person if attacked. If you want to escape the attack by an elephant, run in a slow zigzag to avoid being surrounded or crushed by trees.