key point
- Elephants don’t usually run into other animals.
- This article is about an elephant stabbing a buffalo.
- When male elephants try to show their dominance during mating season, they can be more aggressive.
What would happen if an elephant confronted a buffalo? Video of the two animals taken in the wild shows who will win the battle.
First up is a buffalo sitting quietly on the ground. Sensing danger, it stood up and quickly started moving. The elephant went faster and overtook the buffalo.
The elephant hung its head, ran straight up to the buffalo, and dropped it on the ground. The elephant’s tusk is front and center as it is closer.
The elephant was at least twice as tall as the buffalo, and it didn’t take long for the buffalo to lie flat on the ground. The elephant continued to throw the buffalo around.
It uses its tusks, trunk, and large size to move buffalo on the ground.
© Jeremy Lintott/Shutterstock.com
After a few sounds, the elephant was triumphant in the killing. The buffalo stopped moving.
Both men who made the video were horrified when they witnessed the cycle of life in nature firsthand.
“This is the end of that buffalo,” the man off camera says. Wisely, no one comes near elephants or buffaloes. Instead, they documented the encounter but kept their distance.
It is never a good idea to approach animals in the wild, especially if they are aggressive toward other animals.
Once an elephant knows it has won, it will back off from its prey.
unusual elephant behavior
While elephants don’t usually charge at other animals, especially when they’re not threatening, it still happens. Elephants may act to protect nearby calves, or they may not want to share resources such as water.
It’s unclear from the video whether the elephant was a male, male, female or bull elephant. When male elephants try to show their dominance during mating season, they can be more aggressive.
That’s one explanation for the elephant’s behavior.
After the video was shot, the onlookers did not stay to see more elephants. They kept a safe distance and shared footage of their unique encounter in the wild.
next…
- Types of Elephants: 3 Types of Elephants
- Furry Elephants: What Is Elephant Hair Used For?
- Elephant Pregnancy: How Long Is an Elephant Pregnant?
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
