Terrified tourists run for their lives from charging elephant
This is the heart-stopping moment a charging elephant chased two tourists and almost trampled one after he fell.
The men had left their car to take selfies with the animal that was walking along a road that passes through the Bandipur National Park in Kanataka, India.
But as they got closer, the elephant suddenly charged towards them.
In footage, filmed by a person in another car, the men can be seen running for their lives before one trips and falls.
The elephant then tries to kick the man with his hind leg, narrowly missing his head.
Luckily the animal is then distracted by a passing bus, turns around and leaves the men.
Another tourist, Savad C.A, who was in a car with his family and witnessed the terrifying chase, said they feared for the safety of the men.
He said: ‘At one point, we thought one of the men would be trampled by the animal.
‘The man who fell down had a miraculous escape as the elephant turned its attention to a passing vehicle just as it was upon him.
‘We sped away as we were very much shocked.’
Recently the Kerala Forest Department handed a tourist a hefty fine after he tried to take a selfie with an elephant herd and had a narrow escape.
According to officials, trespassing on prohibited forest land is punishable with imprisonment of up to three years or a fine or both.
The Karnataka Forest Department has launched an inquiry into the incident and efforts are underway to identify the two tourists.
Last month an elephant charged at a safari truck with tourists in Zambia and flipped the vehicle, killing an elderly American woman.
The harrowing moment was captured on 45-second video by someone on the truck at Kafue National Park.
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