In a heart-stopping moment captured in Zimbabwe’s
Zambezi Valley, a baby elephant escaped after a close encounter with a hungry crocodile.
The incident unfolded at the edge of a watering hole in the African bush, where the playful calf splashed around.
Ready to strike: A baby elephant drinks at a watering hole in the African bush as a crocdile lurks menacingly in the water just feet away.
Suddenly, a crocodile lunged from the water, aiming to seize the elephant’s trunk. In an astonishing display of maternal instinct, the baby’s mother rushed to the rescue.
The rest of the elephant herd gathered around, trumpeting and snorting, determined to protect their vulnerable member.
Snap! The crocodile lurches out of the water in the blnk of an eye and clamps its jaws around the calf’s trunk.
The young elephant, not yet proficient in using its trunk for drinking, was surprised. In a desperate struggle for survival, it managed to fend off the reptile’s grip and staggered backward, leaving the disappointed crocodile to retreat into the murky depths.
The dramatic sequence of events was captured on
camera by Francois Borman, a Zimbabwean farmer and amateur photographer, near the
Mana Pools.
Reflecting on the extraordinary sighting, Francois expressed his amazement at witnessing such a remarkable encounter in the wild.
The incredible pictures were caught by Zimbabwean farmer and keen photographer Francois Borman by the
Mana Pools in
Zambezi Valley.
Wildlife photographers often spend hours anticipating unique moments like this, and Francois considered himself fortunate to have captured these incredible images.
For the baby elephant and its mother, it was a brutal encounter, but the swift response of the herd averted a tragic outcome.
The rest of the herd stood around in shock, trumpeting and snorting as they battled to save the helpless baby elephant from the attack.
Against the odds, the baby elephant manages to shake off the reptile and stumble backwards with a little help from his mum.