CURIOUS ELEPHANT ‘ACCIDENTALLY’ CRACKS CAR WINDOW IN CLOSE SAFARI ENCOUNTER
WITH PIX AND VID
By Shuk Yee Tsang
A close wildlife encounter took an unexpected turn when a curious elephant accidentally cracked a car windscreen during a calm safari sighting.
The moment was captured by Michelle Broadhurst, an amateur wildlife photographer from Gauteng, South Africa, during a visit to Kruger National Park.
The footage begins peacefully, with a young lion resting in the road as a lone elephant approaches in the distance.
Expecting the elephant to move them on, the group instead watched as it calmly stepped off the road to graze.
They remained stationary as the elephant approached, following typical safari guidance to avoid sudden movements.
What initially appeared to be a routine sighting quickly turned into a rare and unexpected close encounter.
As the elephant reached the vehicle, it appeared to investigate curiously.
In a brief moment of surprise, it made contact with the car, cracking the windscreen before calmly moving away.
Despite the dramatic moment, the elephant showed no signs of aggression, and the encounter ended peacefully.
Michelle said: “We parked on the opposite side of the road with the car switched off, assuming the elephant would continue into the bush.
"Instead, it slowly made its way toward us.
“As always, the rule is to sit tight and make no sudden movements.
“He then slowly walked toward the vehicle, likely curious. It looked as though his trunk may have touched it, which startled him.
“In that moment, he got a fright, and the tip of his tusk touched the windscreen, cracking it. It was nobody’s fault, simply a startled reaction.
“The elephant showed no signs of aggression at any point and, if anything, seemed more curious than anything else. Even after the incident, he calmly moved away.
“It was a perfect reminder that these gentle giants often don’t realise just how big they are, a very unfortunate accident, with no one to blame.”
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