Dramatic Moment A Herd Of Elephants Rush To Protect Calf From A Pack Of Wild Dogs

Feb 18, 2020

Safari guide Brent Leo Smith saw just how far elephants will go to protect their young. When a pack of wild dogs approach a calf on Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa, Smith films the elephants' defense method. 

While many predators steer clear of elephants due to their massive size, smaller calves are not as much of a threat while they are growing. Their size makes them an easier target when it comes to attacks from other animals.

But preying on the offspring of an elephant can have serious repercussions, as one safari guide witnessed firsthand. He saw just how far a herd of elephants will go to keep their young calves from danger. He was there to watch the consequences of a pack of wild dogs who had approached the herd.

Brent Leo-Smith is the safari guide who works at the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. This reserve, located in South Africa, offers visitors the chance to see many wild animals through a guided tour. Brent was able to witness the heart-stopping drama for himself.

A section of the reserve, Sabi Sands, is where the encounter took place. He had just arrived there in a safari vehicle when he stopped to witness the encounter. Two dominant species were about to have it out. He couldn’t believe the scene that was unfolding before his eyes.

He quickly realized that a pack of wild dogs had come up to the herd of elephants and were confronting them. In the video, Smith stated that the elephants took charge immediately when the dogs came near.

Not only did the adults chase the wild dogs away, the baby decided to join in and charge. After the dogs ran off, the elephants weren’t going to take any chances. They all made a circle of protection around the baby.

"Look at that! Isn't that amazing?" Smith can be heard saying in the video below.

Smith added that wild dogs aren’t usually a potential threat to elephants. He said that he has never heard of any dogs attacking baby elephants or even adults. But he was still amazed at the ferocity in which the elephants protected themselves against a potential predator.

Check out the video for yourself below:

It’s a great thing that the dogs ran off before any of the elephants got hurt! What did you think of this amazing video? Leave us a comment and then pass this along!