A herd of elephants in South Africa was recently seen fiercely defending their young from a pack of wild dogs.
The dramatic encounter unfolded at Djuma Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands region of the country.
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Tour guide Brent Leo-Smith witnessed the scene while following the wild dogs from a distance in his vehicle. The dogs were moving along a path when a group of elephants suddenly emerged from the bushes.
Outnumbered and facing much larger animals, the nine wild dogs were quickly met with a loud and intimidating response. The roaring and trumpeting elephants stood their ground, forcing the wild dogs to retreat one by one.
Even the youngest calf joined the defense, charging alongside the adult elephants. The group then formed a protective circle around the calf to shield it from threats.
While wild dogs are known to hunt in packs, they pose little danger to elephants. According to Leo-Smith, it’s highly unlikely for wild dogs to attack elephants, even the young ones.
He explained, “Wild dogs don’t show any real threat to elephants. I’ve never heard of a wild dog attacking a baby elephant. But elephants react strongly to any predator nearby.”
This incident highlights the protective nature of elephants and their instinct to defend against anything they perceive as a threat, even if the danger isn’t real.
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