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Elephant charges at thrill-seeking man trying to take photo. Foreigner films terrifying moment in Bandipur
A man was chased by an elephant in Bandipur after using a camera flash.
A shocking incident at Bandipur Tiger Reserve has sparked fresh debate about tourist behaviour in wildlife zones after a man was chased by an elephant while attempting to take a close-up photograph. The encounter was captured on video by a foreign tourist and has since gone viral on Instagram.
(Also read: ‘Purest form of love’: Elephant’s affectionate gesture towards caretaker melts hearts. Video)
A dangerous chase
The video, shared by Daniel Osorio, shows the moment an elephant charged at a man who had stepped out of his vehicle on the road connecting Tamil Nadu to Karnataka. In his caption, Osorio explained, “I filmed this scene on my phone while driving through Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The elephant was calmly eating carrots it had picked up from a passing truck, while a long line of cars patiently waited for it to finish. According to the witness who was in the white car seen in the video, the man involved had used a camera with a flash to take a close-up photo of the elephant. The sudden burst of light startled the animal, triggering the charge.”
Osorio noted that there are signs along the road advising visitors to remain inside their vehicles. “This incident is a strong reminder to follow the rules of wildlife reserves and to let trained authorities, not people on foot, handle situations like this,” he added.
The footage shows the man running as the elephant advances towards him. In a tense moment, he stumbles and falls, with the elephant looming dangerously close. It is unclear whether he sustained injuries, but Osorio later confirmed in a comment that the man was alive.
Take a look here at the clip:
Public reaction
The video has been viewed more than 677,000 times, with viewers expressing shock and frustration at the man’s actions. One user commented, “Is he alive or what?” to which Osorio responded, “He is alive.” Another said, “Very sad to see this. The government should take strict action against everyone who breaks the law.”
“Sad to see so many people stepping out of their vehicles inside a tiger reserve,” wrote one. Another remarked, “Some clearly never read the instructions and this is what happens. Now, that poor elephant is being called a killer.”
