In the heart of the African bush, a baby elephant had an unexpected close call with a crocodile, but with some quick thinking and a lot of courage, it made a lucky escape.
The baby elephant had been happily playing in the waterhole, splashing around in the deep part of the pool. Suddenly, a crocodile lurking nearby leapt out of the water and grabbed hold of the elephant’s trunk. The herd watched in shock as the dangerous predator tried to pull the calf under.
The crocodile’s jaws clamped onto the young elephant’s trunk, but the little elephant wasn’t going down without a fight. It squealed and struggled to break free, making the crocodile retreat just enough for the baby to back away.
Francois Borman, a photographer who had been waiting for hours in the bush, captured the dramatic moment on camera. He was in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe’s Zambezi Valley, hoping for a special shot, but this was something he never expected. “This was the last thing I expected to see! I had been in the jungle for hours, hoping for some action,” he said, his excitement clear in his voice.
Borman continued, “I usually set a high bar for what I capture, but this was incredible to witness.”
The crocodile had been watching the baby elephants for a while, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. “The crocodile noticed the small elephants coming to drink and began stalking the calf that was playing in the shallow water,” Borman explained.
The baby elephant, blissfully unaware of the danger, was having a blast in the water. It jumped and trumpeted with joy, rolling around in the murky pool, completely focused on the fun.
The rest of the herd, sensing the threat, rushed in to protect the calf. They made loud, urgent sounds, trying to drive the crocodile away.
Borman, who was used to capturing wildlife moments as both a photographer and farmer, said, “It was chaotic when the crocodile grabbed the baby elephant’s trunk.” The baby elephant let out a loud squeal, charging at the crocodile, desperately fighting for its life.
“Time seemed to freeze as the calf struggled, pulling the crocodile almost completely out of the water.” The other elephants, seeing the danger, joined in and rushed the crocodile, finally forcing it to let go.
After the dramatic struggle, the baby elephant stumbled back, helped by its mother. “It had no idea about the dangers in the muddy waters,” Borman said, watching the calf catch its breath.
When Borman later looked at his photos, he knew he had captured something extraordinary. “When I looked at my photos, I was thrilled because I knew they were something special,” he said with a smile.
Photographers like Borman often spend hours waiting for moments like this. “Wildlife photographers spend hours waiting for moments like this, and shots like these make it all worth it.”
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