Nature is filled with incredible moments of drama, but it’s not often that it is captured on camera. 53-year-old safari guide Emmanuel Sauti recently captured one such moment when he spotted a crocodile fighting an elephant.
Sauti described the moment he saw the elephant trying to swing a crocodile that bit his tail while crossing a river. He told LatestSightings.com, “It was one of those days where we were heading back to camp from home on our off days. Just a regular drive, or so we thought. Little did we know that we were about to witness a once-in-a-lifetime event. As we were driving by the Luangwa River, we saw a commotion transpiring in the water below.”
“As the sighting started playing itself out, we were able to identify the culprits. An elephant and a crocodile! I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, I was a bit scared for the crocodile. I mean, have you seen how big elephants can get?!”
“In the end, the elephant managed to shake off the crocodile and cross the river,” said Sauti. “Phew, what a relief! I must say, that was one of the most exhilarating moments of my career as a safari guide. And the fact that it was my first time seeing an elephant fight with a crocodile just made it all the more special.”
“I was absolutely thrilled to witness something so rare,” Sauti added enthusiastically. “And boy, was it a sight to see!”
“As a safari guide, I’ve had my fair share of incredible wildlife sightings, but this one definitely takes the cake,” he added. “It’s not every day that you get to witness something like an elephant fighting a crocodile. These sightings are rare and precious, and it’s moments like these that make me grateful for the job that I have.”
LatestSightings.com wrote that it’s “almost unheard of” that a crocodile attempt to kill an elephant. They suspect the crocodile was either over-ambitious or extremely hungry.
The video has garnered over 10 million views in a few days after its release.
One viewer summed up the encounter, “The full embodiment of “biting off more than you can chew!”
Another noted, “Smart croc. He figured if he let it go before they get on sand wouldn’t be a bad idea. It’s not everyone that can recognize right away how badly a big meal like that can ruin their day.”
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links.