Like animals such as tigers and lions, it’s never a good idea to intentionally provoke elephants as they can turn around and charge towards the provoker, which may lead to injuries or death.
However, one man thought it would be fun to do exactly just this towards an elephant that was simply minding its own business, earning him tons of backlash from netizens and Perhilitan.
Man provokes elephant, triggering it to charge towards him
In a TikTok video uploaded by @tasnimsofi, it showed the OP driving along a road and slowing down when he saw an adult tusked elephant making its way towards a forest nearby.
While it’s not known what did the OP do, it apparently was something enough to nestle the elephant’s anger and cause it to turn around and start running towards the OP while trumpeting.
A car happened to drive by when the elephant began running towards the OP but it fortunately managed to avoid disaster by mere seconds.
Despite the terrifying encounter, the OP laughs loudly and is heard shouting “You’re clever!” while speeding off.
‘Troublemaker!’
To no one’s surprise, the OP’s reckless behaviour invited a wave of backlash from netizens, who condemned him for putting others in danger by provoking the elephant.
‘This is the kind of behaviour that only troubles others.’
‘Bro, if you want to see elephants, go to the zoo. Don’t do that with wild elephants. If other cars are passing by, don’t ask people (to stop or approach them). Please don’t do that again as this is a sincere reminder for everyone’s good.’
The clip also drew criticism from Perhilitan director-general Datuk Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim, who said what the OP did was “reckless and deeply irresponsible.”
Provoking a wild elephant, especially a tusked bull, is an act of ignorance. These animals are immensely strong and can overturn vehicles if they feel threatened.
“Wild animals are not entertainment props. Every time someone disturbs them for a video or a laugh, we increase the risk of tragedy and worsen human–wildlife conflict,” he told NST.
Perhilitan officials are also trying to determine whether the incident took place in Gerik, Perak, as claimed in the video’s caption.
Watch the clip here:
@tasnimsofi Gajah naik minyak… #gajahviral #gajahliar #gajahgerik #gajahperak ♬ original sound – Tasnimsofi
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