Africa-Press – South-Africa. A pleasant day out in the park turned scary as two tourists escaped an elephant attack whilst driving from the Memorial Gate to Hilltop Resort inside Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park on Wednesday.
It is believed that the incident took place just after midday when the occupants of a White Ford Figo had a close encounter with a bull elephant along the road.
Ezemvelo Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo said that the occupants of the car, who asked not to be named, and Ezemvelo’s Field Ranger who witnessed the rare incident, observed a bull elephant on the road walking towards his car.
Mntambo said as a regular visitor to Park, he noted that the bull elephant seemed relaxed and was approaching in peace.
Mntambo said as he knows that animals inside the park always have the right of way, he decided to move his car to the side of the road to let the elephant pass.
“As the elephant walked toward the car, it somehow decided to acknowledge the presence of the Ford Figo by just laying its trunk on the bonnet. As this was an unexpected action by the elephant, the driver tried to extricate his car from the situation. The elephant, however, did not appreciate the driver’s behaviour.”
Mntambo said the elephant reacted and stuck its tusk through the passenger’s window which “cracked like it never existed”.
He said it lifted the car “like rugby players performing a lifting in a line-out”.
It decided not to complete this rugby action, choosing instead to throw the car into a ditch on the side of the road.
“As if that was not scary enough, the elephant continued to push and attack the car’s rear before deciding it was not worth it to waste its energy on an object that did not retaliate, so it backed off,” said Mntambo.
According to Velenkosini Musawenkosi Ntombela, a Field Ranger who observed the incident, even Mike Tyson at his prime would have been jealous of the speed displayed by this elephant.
He said in a twinkling of an eye the demolition was complete.
“It backed off a short distance as if it was standing in its corner to let the boxing match referee count up to ten before declaring the fight over,” said Ntombela.
Ntombela said the elephant only moved away from the car when he safely discharged a warning shot. This was when the elephant seemed to be again approaching the car that still had vulnerable and shaken occupants inside.
He said the elephant then stopped its approach and disappeared into the bush.
The occupants in the car were instructed to leave their car and jumped into an Ezemvelo car. No visible physical injuries were observed on both occupants, said Mntambo.
He said the occupants were assisted to remove some of their personal belongings inside their car and were driven to the memorial gate to make alternative arrangements to go home.
Ezemvelo Acting CEO, Ntsikelelo Dlulane has expressed his relief that no lives were lost as this could have easily turned ugly.
“I am thankful that there was no loss of human life and also for the fact that, according to the early reports, both occupants survived the ordeal without any visible injuries. My appreciation also goes to Ntombela who remained calm under the trying circumstances. We would never know what would have happened had he panicked and decided to shoot the elephant,” said Dlulane.
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