Video: Elephant Lifts Safari Truck, Terrorizes Tourists

Tourists visiting Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa got quite the surprise while on a safari. Video shared by iReport South Africa shows a large African elephant lifting their safari truck into the air twice and slamming it down on the ground while the passengers cowered in fear. 

The driver of the vehicle implored the elephant to move out of the way, but it didn’t do much to dissuade the pachyderm. A few seconds later, the animal easily picked up the front of the truck with its trunk and dropping it down, sending the driver several inches off his seat. The elephant lifted the truck once again, and the driver began to reverse and back away from the animal. 

While commenters on YouTube criticized the driver for how he acted in the moment, one person claimed that their friend sent them a full-length video of the entire encounter that clears the driver’s name. 

“The elephant entered the car park whilst guests were both on foot in the open and on the walkway (fairly secure) to the hide,” the commenter said. “The guide sat there quietly with his engine off until the elephant started to approach the vehicle. The elephant didn’t back off and kept coming closer, not responding to warning shouts and door slamming and slapping as they normally will.”

“Whether or not the guide took the correct action next is not for me to say, but he took what he thought was the correct action to protect his guests and those on the car park. He started his engine and revved it, hoping the elephant would leave the car park. I understand why he did it, and hindsight is a wonderful thing,” they continued. “I hope the full video is released because I am sure you will all feel some compassion towards the guide and how absolutely terrified he must have been, whilst taking actions to protect others in a very difficult situation.” 

“I have no doubt that the guide and guests have been traumatized by this event and I beg for your understanding until you too have seen the full video. It makes so much more sense,” they concluded. 

What might be a heavy truck to us can simply be a toy truck to these massive animals.