Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. It's one thing to hear that, but it's another thing to see one of these animals in person and realize just how big they really are. We're assuming that's what happened in today's video when one guy's flight or flight instincts clearly took over upon the sight of one. This footage was shot in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa. The video starts with a massive bull elephant approaching a small Toyota, dwarfing it. Whoever is sitting in the passenger seat has seen enough, because the door suddenly pops open, much to the dismay of the people filming the incident.
Before they can fully react, a man jumps out of the car and starts sprinting off into the African bush, leaving the elephant bewildered by what just happened. The occupants of the car who are filming the incident cannot help but burst out laughing at the absurdity of what they had just witnessed.
We must agree with the people filming this video. We wanted to start screaming at that guy the second the door opened. We get wanting to give large wildlife a wide berth, but this wasn't the way to go about it. Apparently, this guy forgot there are lions, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and a whole glut of venomous snakes that call the African bush home. Even the elephant seems to be thinking the guy is crazy for choosing the wilds as his escape route.
As you saw at the end there, eventually the man made his way back to the vehicle safely after the elephant had wandered off. The driver's side is on the right in South Africa, so the guy who fled was not the driver. We can only imagine what was said after he finally got back to the vehicle. Now his shame is broadcast for the whole world to see.
As a bit of advice in case you ever encounter a large, dangerous animal in your vehicle, it's best to just stop the vehicle and stay calm. Don't get out or attempt to flee, as that's only going to make things worse. If you leave the elephant alone, chances are he'll leave you alone too.
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