This is the moment an escaped elephant crushed a car after climbing on it during mat.ing season in a Thai national park.
The silver car carrying a family was passing through Khao Yai National Park near Bangkok on its way to a nearby National Children’s Day celebration.
However, the car driver was forced to stop when the male elephant wandered out into the middle of the road and approached the car.
The footage was taken with a mobile phone from inside the vehicle, then shows the animal getting very close to the vehicle before placing the trunk on the bonnet.
The elephant can then be seen putting its front legs on top of the bonnet before bringing its hind legs up and almost sitting on top of the car.
The giant creature then jumped out of the car to the ground and walked away, leaving the bonnet badly dented and the windshield cracked.
Fortunately, the family inside the car was un.har.med.
This is the second incident this month involving an elephant in the park after another elephant da.maged three vehicles on New Year’s Day.
It is unclear whether the same elephant was involved in both incidents.
Patarapol Maneeorn, a government veterinarian, told the National that elephants don’t usually approach cars, but this particular creature can be str.essed due to mat.ing season.
He said: ‘During mat.ing season, the elephant may have developed some str.ess. In addition, moving vehicles might have added to the str.ess.’
Male elephants are often forced out of their herd when they reach reproductive age to not ma.te with blood relatives.
It is thought this is why the elephant has escaped and people driving through the park are being asked to be extra vigilant.