A dramatic scene unfolded at a watering hole in Zimbabwe’s Zambezi Valley when a crocodile made a bold attempt to snatch a baby elephant’s trunk. While the young elephant splashed around in the water, the crocodile suddenly struck, clamping its powerful jaws around the calf’s trunk.
The baby elephant struggled and trumpeted in fear as its herd looked on in shock. In a heart-stopping moment, the calf’s protective mother rushed to its aid, helping the baby break free from the crocodile’s grip and forcing the reptile to retreat back into the murky waters.
Photographer Francois Borman, who was there to capture the intense moment, couldn’t believe his eyes. “I had been out for hours hoping for something special, but this was beyond my expectations,” he said.
Thanks to the quick action of its mother, the baby elephant survived the terrifying encounter, adding yet another remarkable tale of survival to the wilds of Zimbabwe.
