With the help of his mother, a newborn elephant narrowly escaped a crocodile’s attempt to bite off his trunk.
The crocodile emerged from the water and quickly grabbed the trunk of a baby elephant, who had been swimming around a deep drinking hole in the African forest. The other elephants, trunking and snorting, stared in disbelief as they fought to protect the defenseless calf from the predator.
Surprisingly, the young elephant managed to overpower the crocodile, tumbling backward to avoid the danger, and forcing the reptile back into the murky water.
As the baby elephant drank at a watering hole, unaware of the lurking crocodile just a few feet away, the predator quickly lunged from the water and clamped its jaws around the calf’s trunk. Fortunately, the calf was able to fight back, and with a little help from its mother, managed to escape.
Francois Borman, a talented photographer, captured the incredible moment in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe’s Zambezi Valley. He admitted, “This is the last thing I imagined seeing! I had been out in the jungle for hours hoping for some action.”
The photographer continued, “I usually have high standards when I go out with my camera, but this situation was extraordinary.”
A local crocodile had been observing the herd of elephants for some time, sizing them up, before it lunged at the baby calf playing near the shallows. The calf, excited by the water, plunged into the deeper, murkier area, rolling around and squealing in joy.
The herd rushed to protect the calf, snorting and trumpeting as they struggled to keep it safe. The baby elephant fought back against the crocodile with incredible strength, pushing it away from its trunk and stumbling backward, aided by its mother.
The calf, unaware of the dangers lurking in the water, had initially struggled to drink from the water, kneeling down to use its lips. But when the crocodile grabbed its trunk, it fought fiercely to survive, charging the predator and eventually forcing it to release its grip. More elephants quickly arrived to help, and the crocodile finally let go.
Borman expressed his joy upon reviewing the photos: “When I saw my pictures, I was overjoyed because I knew they were special. Wildlife photographers spend so much time waiting and hoping for a sight like this.”
The images captured this rare and dramatic moment, a testament to the perseverance of the young elephant and the protective power of its herd.