A protective elephant was caught by camera k.i.c.k.ing a calf after it got too close to its baby.
The video was recorded by a visitor to the San Diego Wildlife Park in California.
In footage recently shared online, two baby elephants can be seen racing through the enclosure alongside each other.
But on the right side of the screen, an adult elephant suddenly turned to face them.
It lunged towards the pair of infants who quickly separated.
The adult elephant then raised its trunk to nudge one of the unexpected calves, causing it to slide across the ground.
The fully grown mammal lifts its front left leg and strikes the calf in the back again before using a jerking motion to knock it down a slope.
The youngster staggered and fell to the floor with his legs and trunk flailing as he cried for help.
Zoo visitors watching the action from afar can hear ragged breathing before one woman says: “That was rude.”
The calf quickly stood up and began to walk away nonchalantly.
A second adult, who was chewing on a bamboo stick and believed to be the calf’s mother, ran over to investigate and lifted its body over the calf as if to check that it was unharmed.
The group continued to meander and the video ended shortly after.
The clip was recorded shortly after the two elephants were born simultaneously but has recently surfaced online.