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New Footage, Survivor Accounts Detail Elephant Charge That Flipped Canoes in Botswana

Experts say the charge reflected defensive behavior around hidden calves, prompting fresh scrutiny of water-safari conduct.

Overview

  • New footage from the Okavango Delta shows an elephant ramming canoes and briefly pinning a female tourist underwater before breaking off.
  • Americans Jeff Melvin and Larry Unrein said they feared for their lives as guides helped them and others get to safety.
  • The woman pushed beneath the surface survived, with witnesses saying the water likely prevented fatal crushing.
  • Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill cautioned that elephants protecting calves are extremely dangerous and urged greater viewing distance.
  • Accounts conflict on when the encounter occurred, with some reports citing Sept. 27 and others reporting Sept. 22.