In Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa, a bull elephant repeatedly lifted and dropped a 22-seat safari truck with its trunk. The driver’s attempts to deter the elephant, slapping the truck’s side and urging it to “go away,” were captured amidst the encounter.
The incident left tourists visibly shaken, with some ducking between seats in a fraught exchange with the elephant. Hendry Blom, who recorded the ordeal, expressed concern for the passengers’ safety and fear for their lives.
Poncho Mogodiri, the tour company’s field operations manager at Mankwe Game Trackers, explained that the encounter occurred while the guide and tourists were in an animal hide meant for close, undisturbed wildlife observation. He noted that the elephant became aggressive after tourists ventured too close for photographs.
