A fixed camera captured the moment a baby elephant copied its mother by stopping to track and hide from a predator.
Filmed at a popular tourist attraction in South Africa, the baby is surrounded by his mother and another adult elephant as they emerge from the bushes.
As the three animals ran towards the camera, they suddenly stopped and stood amazingly still as a dangerous predator lurks somewhere nearby in Kruger National Park.
Despite the initial spring in the calf’s step, it quickly stops and copies its mother’s behavior.
It almost poses for the camera, raising its ears up and down and staring down at the lens.
After a few seconds, the elephants cautiously walked away – the baby found safety between the two larger ones.
According to the video maker, the elephants rushed out of the bushes after they picked up the scent of a lion.
He said: ‘The baby elephant stops right in front of the camera and shows how quickly he reacts to his mother’s movements before doing anything.
‘Animal behavior at its best.’
Kruger National Park was established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of South Africa Lowveld, and today attracts more than a million tourists each year.
The park covers nearly 5 million acres and is home to nearly 150 different animal species, 50 types of fish, reptiles and amphibians, and more than 500 birds.
