A protective elephant mother and a ferocious crocodile engage in an epic tug of war in Zambia, as seen in these dramatic photos.
The female elephant and her baby were attacked while drinking from the Luangwa River in the South Luangwa National Park. A vicious crocodile leapt out of the murky waters and bit down on the female’s trunk.
As a baby elephant and its mother drank from the river, the crocodile leapt from the water.
As the croc attacked, the baby elephant went to hide behind its mother.
The elephant was driven to her knees as the crocodile thrashed around.
Despite the predator clamping down on her trunk, the elephant refused to give up and turned away from the water, despite being dragged down on her hind legs.
After walking away from the water, the female was able to shake off the croc with incredible strength. Despite a second scare when the baby tripped as the pair ran away, she and her baby survived the attack.
The elephant managed to turn away from the water despite the croc’s best efforts.
The mother moved away from the water, the croc still clamped on her, with her kid safely on the other side.
The large elephant hauled the crocodile out of the water as she walked away.
Later in the day, they were observed feeding from the river. In South Luangwa National Park, huge elephant herds of up to 70 individuals are well-known.
Baboons, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, leopards, lions, and hippopotamuses are among the 60 animal species found in the park, which spans 9000 square kilometers.
