Baby Elephant Narrowly Escapes Crocodile Attack With Mother’s Help
A newborn elephant had a terrifying brush with danger when a crocodile lunged from the water and clamped onto its trunk.
Thankfully, the young calf managed to break free with the help of its mother.
The dramatic encounter took place at a watering hole in the African wilderness, where a crocodile suddenly emerged and latched onto the calf’s trunk as it played in the deep end. The rest of the herd stood frozen in shock, trumpeting and snorting in alarm as they tried to protect the vulnerable baby.
In an incredible display of resilience, the calf fought back, pulling the crocodile from the water before stumbling backward to escape. The startled reptile, unable to maintain its grip, plunged back into the murky depths.
Photographer Francois Borman captured the breathtaking moment in Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, located in the Zambezi Valley. “I never expected to witness something like this,” Borman said. “I had been out in the wild for hours, hoping to see some action, but this was beyond anything I imagined.”
According to witnesses, the crocodile had been lurking in the water, watching the herd of young elephants as they approached the watering hole. It had been eyeing the playful baby elephant, who seemed thrilled to be in the water. The calf eagerly splashed around, rolling in the shallows and trumpeting in delight, unaware of the lurking danger.
As the calf knelt down to drink, struggling to use its trunk properly, the crocodile saw its chance and struck. In an instant, it latched onto the elephant’s trunk with its powerful jaws, triggering a frantic struggle for survival.
“The baby elephant let out a desperate scream and fought with all its might,” Borman recalled. “For a moment, time seemed to stand still as the calf resisted with incredible determination, managing to pull the crocodile partially out of the water.”
Fortunately, the calf’s mother and other elephants quickly intervened, forcing the crocodile to let go. The baby stumbled backward, shaken but unharmed.
Reflecting on the experience, Borman was ecstatic about capturing such a rare and extraordinary moment. “When I saw my photos, I knew they were something special,” he said. “Wildlife photographers spend countless hours waiting for the perfect shot, and moments like this make it all worthwhile.”
In the end, the newborn elephant’s resilience, combined with the protective presence of its mother and the herd, proved to be its saving grace. Despite the sudden and terrifying attack, the calf managed to escape the crocodile’s grasp, demonstrating the incredible strength and survival instincts of these majestic animals.
This dramatic encounter, captured through the lens of photographer Francois Borman, serves as a powerful reminder of the raw and unpredictable beauty of nature. Moments like these highlight the delicate balance of life in the wild, where danger and survival go hand in hand, and the bond between a mother and her young remains one of the strongest forces in the animal kingdom.