With the help of its mother, the newborn elephant managed to escape when a crocodile tried to bite its trunk.
A crocodile emerged from the water and bit the trunk of a baby elephant swimming at the edge of a watering hole in the African forest.
With trumpeting and snorting, members of the herd watched in astonishment as they tried to protect the defenseless calf from the threat.
The young elephant overpowered the startled crocodile and backed away to escape danger, forcing it to retreat into the murky water.
A baby elephant drinks at a watering hole in the African bush while a crocodile lies frozen in the water just a few meters away. Suddenly, the crocodile leaps out of the water and snaps its jaws instantly around the calf’s trunk.
These astonishing images were captured by François Borman’s camera in Mana Pools, in the Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe. “This is the last thing I expected! I walked for hours in the jungle, hoping for some action,” he exclaimed.
I usually have high expectations when I go out with my camera, but this situation is simply incredible to witness.”
“A local crocodile spotted the herd of young elephants coming to drink and spent time watching them before targeting the baby calf playing in the shallows,” reported the observer.
“It’s clear that the little elephant was enjoying the water, as it leapt into the deep, murky pool and began rolling around, trumpeting with joy.
The stunning photos were taken by the talented photographer and farmer François Borman in Zimbabwe, near the Mana Pools in the Zambezi Valley.
The rest of the herd gathered in astonishment, blowing and trumpeting as they tried to protect the defenseless baby elephant.
The baby elephant fought off the crocodile and, with a little help from its mother, staggered backward to safety.
“He didn’t have to worry about the outside world, and he certainly hadn’t thought about the dangers that might be lurking in the murky waters,” he continued.
The little calf knelt down to drink with its lips, unsure how to use its trunk for the task. Eventually, it stood up and tried again, reaching for the water with its trunk.
It was chaos when the crocodile lunged at the baby elephant’s trunk and grabbed it.” With a strangled squeal, the calf charged at the crocodile, fighting for its life.
“Time seemed to stand still as the calf struggled and, with incredible tenacity, almost immediately pulled the reptile out of the water.” After other elephants rushed to help, the crocodile eventually let go of the little one.
“When I saw my photos, I was thrilled because I knew they were special.”
“Photographing something like this is the ultimate reward: wildlife photographers spend a lot of time waiting, hoping to capture these extraordinary moments.
