Selfie with a herd of wild elephants? Don't even try

If you are driving along one of those roads that lead through forested areas and you chance upon a herd of wild elephants, it is one thing you're better off not trying. And this video tweeted by IAS officer Supriya Sahu will show why.

The 56-second video starts with a red car turning around as if to avoid a herd of wild elephants ahead while two young men try to click selfies with the wild beasts in the background. People in the car can be heard telling them to get back in.

Then it happens. As if startled by all the voices, the herd comes charging. There are a few seconds of panic, before the elephants stop and veer towards a small forest path going downhill. Before getting off the road, two of them raise their trunk as if in admonishment.


"Selfie craze with wildlife can be deadly. These people were simply lucky that these gentle giants chose to pardon their behaviour. Otherwise, it does not take much for mighty elephants to teach people a lesson, wrote Sahu, who is Addl Chief Secretary Environment Climate Change & Forests, Tamil Nadu.

The post does not say when and where it happened, but a few users suggested it happened in the Nilgris area a few months ago. Many users commented that it is best to leave wild animals well alone in their habitat.