Tigers are large, dangerous carnivores capable of hunting larger prey. While a lone tiger poses little threat to adult elephants, tigers can hunt young elephants. In this video, some clever elephants decide to band together to protect their baby elephants from a hungry tiger.
The video begins with almost a tiger prowling around. It walks upright and wanders into areas where a small herd of elephants passes. At first, the elephant seemed oblivious to the massive striped predator. However, one of them caught a glimpse of the beast, which wisely turned away.
As the elephants started to move away from the tigers, the photographer continued to drive towards them. Along the way, we saw the tiger still following behind three adults and two calves.
The elephants could turn around and attack the tiger, but they chose to wait patiently. The splendid large figure forms a protective semicircle around the calf. This way, the tiger would have to encounter an adult elephant before reaching a calf.
As we said before, tigers are dangerous predators and they can kill baby elephants. However, as long as the elephant stands or steps on the tiger, it will count down. Suddenly, one of the elephants broke away from the herd. The giant mammal stopped and turned to face the tiger.
The tiger freezes in place as the camera pans between them. In one amusing moment, the tiger is no longer looking at the elephant, but at the vehicle carrying the photographer driving down the road.
Talented elephants came into being
Both tigers and elephants are at a standstill. The scene cuts to the elephants turning around and walking down the road to where they were headed in the first place. They continue to surround themselves with their children, but they make an interesting change. Instead of turning around to avoid the tiger’s path, the elephant walked straight towards the tiger.
Tiger has the upper hand at the beginning of the video. Predators follow an elephant from its side, a position from which it can easily attack. Instead of letting this continue, the wise elephant decided to turn around and face the creature.
Now that the tiger has shown up, it has to make a choice. For one thing, it can get out of the way of elephants and try to track them from behind. In this way, the elephants may reach their original destination and reach a safe place away from the tigers. Tigers, on the other hand, can try to attack head-on.
Based on the way the elephant prepares to charge in the final moments of this video, Tiger would be foolish to choose the second option. Instead, the creature realizes that it is at a disadvantage. The tiger may have retreated into the shadows, waiting for the next opportunity to arise.
Up Next: More elephant encounters and antics
- Watch elephant stampede reunite with families of their favorites
- Watch elephants fight crocodiles to the death
- Watch elephants face off…helicopters?
- Watch desperate tiger challenge adult elephant
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.
