There have been numerous instances shared on social media depicting people being chased by wild elephants. In a particularly viral video, two men can be seen sprinting down a road with an elephant hot on their heels. As they push their limits with the elephant in close pursuit, one of the men stumbles and falls to the ground. The elephant halts its chase and approaches the fallen man, seemingly inspecting him. While difficult to discern from the footage, it appears that the man manages to crawl to safety amidst the trees, causing the elephant to lose interest.
What transpired in this video? What could have triggered the wild elephant to potentially attack a human? Once the elephant began its pursuit, were the men correct in their decision to run, or could there have been a more effective strategy to avoid harm? Let’s delve into what steps to take if ever faced with such a situation and, more crucially, how to prevent it altogether.
Elephants often employ mock charges as a scare tactic before launching into a full-fledged attack, aiming to intimidate the perceived threat and drive it away.
**Where Human and Elephant Interactions Occur**
Elephants inhabit diverse habitats and can be found in the wild across Africa and Asia. Scientists estimate the African elephant population to be around 470,000, with 40,000 to 50,000 Asian elephants. While humans and elephants have coexisted throughout history, recent human expansion has encroached upon the elephants’ natural territories.
Elephants cover approximately 30 miles daily in search of water and food, necessitating significant space. Issues arise when interactions between humans and elephants take place due to the fragmentation of elephant habitats by human development. Herds of elephants may be compelled to navigate through farms, cities, roads, or mining sites to maintain their daily ranges. Foraging in a farmer’s field, elephants may unknowingly consume and destroy carefully cultivated crops, endangering the farmer’s livelihood. In response, farmers may retaliate, resulting in harm or death to elephants.
**Understanding the Danger Posed by Elephants**
Although generally peaceful, elephants will defend themselves and their offspring when threatened. Asian elephants weigh between 6,000 to 12,000 pounds, while African elephants can reach up to 14,000 pounds. With their immense size and formidable tusks, an elephant could fatally injure a person in a single strike. Approximately 500 fatalities occur annually due to encounters with elephants.
**Triggers for Elephant Aggression**
Elephants may charge at humans if they perceive a threat. To avert potentially perilous encounters with elephants, individuals should maintain a safe distance. The recommended distance varies among wildlife experts, with one African safari guide suggesting a range of 260 to 330 feet from an elephant herd. Assessing the herd’s temperament and allowing the elephants to dictate proximity is advised.
If the elephants exhibit signs of unease, retreat slowly.
In the realm of wildlife, experts advise keen observation of elephant behavior and caution when an elephant displays signs of growing agitation. Preceding an attack, elephants may exhibit warning signals such as stomping the ground, trumpeting, shaking their head, or elevating their tail. Should you encounter these indications, it is advisable to retreat slowly, endeavoring to create a greater separation between yourself and the elephant.
If faced with the distressing situation of being pursued by an elephant, what steps should one take? Experts in the field of wildlife stress the utmost importance of refraining from running. Contrary to the actions witnessed in the viral video, it is ill-advised to provoke the elephants into a chase. Elephants possess the ability to sprint at approximately 25 miles per hour and can swiftly overtake a human in pursuit. Should you attempt to flee, it is highly probable that the elephant will give chase.
Avoid making direct eye contact, seek shelter if feasible, and above all, strive to maintain a composed demeanor. An air of panic may cause the elephant to perceive you as a threat. Despite the challenge, try to remain calm, take deep breaths, and execute your movements with deliberation. In all likelihood, the elephant will also exhibit a sense of calm and recognize that you pose no danger.
In the event that an elephant charges at you persistently and shows no sign of relenting, leaving you with no alternative but to run, wildlife experts recommend employing a zigzag pattern in your escape. Due to their substantial size, elephants are unable to maneuver with the agility that you possess. Endeavor to place a sizable obstacle between yourself and the elephant. However, it is crucial to note that seeking refuge in a tree is not a viable option, as an elephant can effortlessly topple it.
Efforts are being made in the realm of conservation to mitigate the occurrence of hazardous encounters between elephants and humans. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has devised strategies to dissuade elephants from ravaging agricultural lands and encroaching upon human settlements without conflict. These methods encompass educating farmers on alternative practices to deter elephants from infiltrating their fields, such as planting unattractive crops on the perimeters or transitioning entirely to crops that elephants find unpalatable. Additionally, initiatives involve the restoration of elephant habitat corridors to enable them to traverse areas devoid of human presence and evade confrontations.
Interestingly, it has been discovered that elephants harbor a deep-seated fear of bees. An innovative approach to deterring elephants involves keeping a recording of bee sounds on hand and playing them in the event of an elephant threat. Researchers have observed that the sound of buzzing bees prompts a herd of elephants to vacate an area within seconds. By strategically placing sound boxes emitting bee noises around African farms, elephants are deterred from approaching, rendering this method an effective deterrent for farmers. The aversion elephants exhibit towards bees highlights the potential for utilizing this natural fear as a means of safeguarding against perilous encounters.
