In an intriguing twist of nature, an Indian elephant has been filmed plunging headfirst into a grass verge while journeying along a road’s edge.
This extraordinary incident was captured in the famous Jim Corbett National Park in India’s Uttrakhand State.
The captured video features a female elephant in motion, following closely behind a safari vehicle.
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Without warning, she deviated from her path, thrusting her head and trunk into the grassy bank and hoisting one of her legs off the ground as she leaned into the moist terrain.
This peculiar spectacle was documented by photographer Arpit Kubba, who couldn’t help but wonder about the elephant’s unexpected actions.
He consulted his guides and was informed that the elephant was applying a unique, natural remedy to her skin.
According to the guides, she was exploiting the morning dew to relieve skin irritation and employing her trunk to combine it with soil. This combination served as a natural exfoliant to dislodge parasites from her skin.
Kubba relayed his experiences tracking a group of four elephants, including a pair of adult females and two juveniles.
He said, “This particular female was confidently striding towards us when she suddenly fell forward. We were left wondering, what just happened?”
He added that the guides clarified that elephants often use morning dew as a soothing treatment for insect bites and parasite-induced itchiness. They blend this dew with soil and apply it to their skin for respite.
In a light-hearted comparison, Kubba said, “It’s akin to an elephant’s version of a facial treatment since their foreheads and trunks are highly sensitive, and they avoid rubbing them on solid objects.”
Kubba used a Canon 1DX Mark II paired with a Canon 300mm lens to capture this unusual but fascinating behavior from a safe distance of about 500 yards.
He marveled at the creature’s ingenuity, stating, “It’s awe-inspiring to witness firsthand how these majestic beings leverage their environment to self-medicate naturally.”
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