This is the incredible moment when an enraged elephant charges at three hippo calves, sending them fleeing back into a river.
The video, taken by Evan Malsbury, captures the hippopotamus calves as they swim across the Umfolozi River in South Africa.
An elephant was on the far side of a lake, with its head bent down as if to eat grass.
It immediately lifts its eyes when it sees the three young hippos in murky water.
The trio crawls up the bank of the river in an attempt to get closer to where the elephant is standing, drawing the attention of the nearby animal.
The elephant moves forward to frighten them away, but two of the youngsters were hidden in the water at the moment.
The elephant charges again when the calves don’t respond, spooking the two closest hippos.
But it is only when the elephant lunges forward for the third time that the three curious calves return to the water.
The elephant charges into a tree, causing it to collapse with a huge splash as the juvenile animals flee.
One of the three then peeks up from within the water to look back at the elephant as the clip comes to an end.
Mr. Malsbury said, ‘We were part of an organized tour group that had arranged for a river cruise.
The elephant was alone for a moment before the trio of hippos arrived, and this was when the drama got even better.
‘The elephants were no match for the hippos, but thankfully no one was in.jur.ed other than the tree.’
