Video: Elephant flips British tourist's car during Kruger National Park safari attack




A British woman was admitted to hospital after a male elephant flipped her car in an attack during a self-drive safari tour in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

The car behind the vehicle in question managed to catch footage of the 30 December attack - while hastily retreating.

The elephant can be seen staring at the car before charging and tossing it over.

According to the Daily Telegraph, William Mabasa, general manager at Kruger National Park, said one of the elephant's tusks stabbed British teacher Sarah Brooks in the thigh.

Ms Brooks, from Lincolnshire, was travelling with a South African man, thought to be her partner, who suffered less serious injuries. She has now been released from hospital.

Mr Mabasa told the BBC that the couple had been driving behind the elephant before it turned, pushing the car several metres and trampling it.

He said: "Of course they were totally frightened but also thankful that they were alive.

"The car is a wreck, if I may put it that way.

"I mean it was completely flattened but fortunately the elephant concentrated on the back of the car, that's why we still have our guests alive now as I speak."

The park believes the elephant's behaviour was due to it being in the musth phase, where high testosterone can invoke aggression.

Park rangers shot and killed the animal as it had become a threat to tourists.

SA National Parks spokesman Ike Phaahla told the Metro: "The elephant had to be put down. Since it was in its musth phase, the elephant had gotten into a fight with another dominant bull before and was very aggressive."



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