An Indian elephant blocked a nearby moving car and used it as a tool to scratch itself.
Typically, elephants seek out large tree trunks to rub their bodies against for relief from itching. However, sometimes these massive creatures look for alternative objects, as seen in the clip below.
The incident occurred on a road crossing the Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary in India, captured by a witness who recorded the moment the elephant unexpectedly charged onto the road to block a car, then rubbed its body against the vehicle to scratch itself.
At one point, the elephant completely climbed onto the front of the car, causing onlookers to shudder in fear.
Fortunately, the car’s engine continued to function normally, and the driver seized the opportunity to quickly reverse and escape while the elephant was distracted. The elephant did not pursue the fleeing vehicle.
The car sustained significant damage after being “attacked” by the elephant, but fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
The clip quickly went viral after being posted on social media, attracting over 2.5 million views and thousands of comments. Many netizens expressed feelings of fear, yet found the situation quite humorous after watching the video.
The elephant in the clip is an adult Indian elephant.
“I wonder what I would do in this situation? Perhaps just sit and pray until the animal leaves. It’s terrifying yet also quite funny,” commented a Twitter user.
The elephant featured in the clip is an adult Indian elephant. Smaller than African elephants, adult Indian elephants can stand between 2 to 3.2 meters tall and weigh between 2 to 5 tons. Female elephants are typically smaller than males and may or may not have tusks.
Indian elephants are herbivores and can consume up to 150 kg of vegetation each day.
Currently, Indian elephants are gradually losing their habitats due to human encroachment on forests for living space, road construction, or agricultural cultivation, which has led to numerous conflicts between elephants and humans. The hunting of elephants for their tusks has also contributed to the decline in the Indian elephant population.
Since 1986, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed Indian elephants as a vulnerable species in need of conservation due to their decreasing numbers.
