A baby elephant in South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park had a rough moment when it tumbled down a steep bank after losing its footing.
The young elephant had been holding onto its mother’s trunk while trying to climb the incline but slipped, ending up with all four legs and trunk flailing in the air before landing in the dust.
The incident was captured on camera by British conservation biologist Mark Bowler from Edinburgh, Scotland, who was just a couple of feet away when the baby elephant fell.
The 37-year-old described the scene: “There were about 50 in the herd. They were running as they crossed the road and went up the bank, which was about waist-high. The babies struggled to get over, and the mothers started to get a bit concerned—there was lots of deep rumbling and ear flapping.”
The mother elephant attempted to lift her baby’s bank by wrapping her trunk around it, but the calf lost its footing and slid back down.
This caused quite a commotion within the herd, and Mr. Bowler admitted that he was scared as his car was surrounded by elephants, leaving him nowhere to go.
After the fall, the baby elephant looked dazed but eventually got back on its feet. The mother elephant then led her calf to a less steep section of the bank, where the baby could climb up without further incident.
Mr. Bowler mentioned, “After this, the mother became more concerned with comforting her offspring than the rush to get up the bank.”
The experience left a lasting impression on Mr. Bowl: ” “It all happened quickly, and the adrenaline was pumping. I have never seen anything quite the same before or since. I can almost feel the deep rumble and my heart rate going up even when I look at the images now.”
Ultimately, the mother’s guidance helped the young elephant find a safer way up the bank, ending a dramatic moment in the heart of Addo Elephant National Park.
