An elephant in the wild. Picture: Unsplash
Encounters with elephants in the wild can be beautiful and scary at the same time. Each experience is different and it’s always refreshing to get a glimpse of man and nature meeting in harmony.
In the latest tales from the African bush, Mhondoro Safari Lodge took to social media platform, TikTok, to share a beautiful encounter between travellers and a male bull in Botswana.
In the video, taken by @familyafrica_adventures and titled, “Most insane encounter in our campsite on overlanding trip”, the elephant walks through a campsite while guests are sitting and playing cards at a table in the afternoon.
@mhondorosafarilodge This Elephant was walking right through our campsite! During; Mhondoro Overland Safari! Read about the encounter; "A Majestic Encounter: Through the reflection of her glasses, I caught sight of the colossal figure approaching us. "Just sit still." She calmly said. So I did, as I trusted her with my life. " -Myriam Vogel said after this unexpected camp visit! ( left side of video) @Myriam Vogel 🎥 @familyafrica_adventures Nature Guide in video, @Tegan Panos said; " Surrounded by the Beauty: Our campsite was nestled in the heart of a land abundant with elephants, currently boasting the largest population worldwide. We were well aware of their presence, often witnessing bulls quenching their thirst from nearby water sources. One afternoon, we were hosting the guests with some card games around the table, after lunch, as one big bull came walking right through our campsite! Quick Thinking and Calmness: By the time we realized the direction he was headed, it was too late for anyone to make any sudden movements. I swiftly positioned my hand, prepared to bang on the table if necessary to deter any aggression. Fortunately, the elephant showed no signs of hostility. In that moment, l urged everyone to remainil, calm, and allow him to pass through https://mhondorooverland.com #mhondorooverlanding #mhondorosafaris #botswana #mhandarneafariladadandvilla ♬ original sound - mhondorosafarilodge
Nature guide Tegan Panos said: “Quick Thinking and Calmness: By the time we realised the direction he was headed, it was too late for anyone to make any sudden movements.
“I swiftly positioned my hand, prepared to bang on the table if necessary to deter any aggression.”
She added that, fortunately, the elephant had shown no signs of hostility and she had urged everyone to remain calm and allow him to pass through.
Thankfully, the group was in the care of an experienced guide and managed to have a pleasant experience, however, that is not always the case with some encounters.
In the beginning of July, a Spanish tourist was trampled to death by elephants after climbing out of his car to take photos of a herd at Pilanesberg National Park in Rustenberg, North West
When encountering elephants, you have to keep a safe distance, respect their right of way and be vigilant around a breeding herd in order to safeguard yourself.