With his mother’s assistance, a newborn elephant narrowly escaped a crocodile’s attempt to bite his trunk.
While the baby elephant was playfully swimming at a watering hole in the African forest, a crocodile lunged from the water, clamping its jaws around the calf’s trunk. The herd, watching in shock, rushed to protect the young one from the dangerous predator.
Despite the crocodile’s grip, the calf managed to break free, pushing the reptile back into the murky water, narrowly avoiding harm.
Photographer Francois Borman, who captured the stunning moments in Zimbabwe’s Zambezi Valley near Mana Pools, was astonished by the rare encounter. “I didn’t expect to see anything like this”, he remarked. “I was out there hoping for some action, but this was truly unbelievable.”
The crocodile, having spotted the elephant herd approaching, had been sizing up the baby calf, waiting for the right moment to strike. Excited to be near the water, the young elephant had leaped into the deeper water, unaware of the lurking danger.
As the baby drank and played, the crocodile made its move, snapping its jaws around the calf’s trunk. The rest of the herd quickly surrounded the calf, snorting and trumpeting in an attempt to fend off the predator.
With a combination of courage and a little help from his mother, the calf struggled free, and the crocodile released its hold. The herd, now united, kept the calf safe as it stumbled backward to safety.
Borman, who spent hours waiting for the perfect shot, was overjoyed when he saw the photos. “Wildlife photography requires patience, and moments like these make it all worthwhile”, he said.
The stunning images show the baby elephant’s determination and the protective nature of the herd, making for a memorable and rare wildlife encounter.