There will be a day when people learn not to get too close to wild animals, I am sure of it. Alas, I doubt that day will be coming any time soon. For some reason, people seem to forget that the wildlife in nature is in fact wild. Whether it is bison at Yellowstone or bears in the forest, people often make the mistake of getting too close. Nine out of ten times, it is for something ridiculous like an Instagram post. Now, that foolishness strikes again as a wild elephant tramples a man after he gets too close for a selfie.
Wild Elephant Tramples Man After He Gets Too Close For A Selfie
When going on a safari, may I suggest skipping the selfies? By all means, snap photos of the incredible wildlife, but perhaps do so from a safe distance. One tourist, near a temple in Karnataka, India, chose to ignore safe distance guidelines. Instead, he opted for a safari selfie with one of the world's most beloved animals, elephants.
The disturbing video footage clearly shows the elephant in distress. As the video begins, viewers can clearly see the elephant running after the man, making sounds of irritation. Although the man appeared to be running for his life, the not-so-gentle giant eventually catches up with him. Then, the animal knocks him to the ground and proceeds to walk over him. After the wild elephant tramples the man, people can be seen rushing to the gentleman and trying to assist him.
How It All Happened
The NY Post shares that the tourist in question was identified as R. Basavaraju. Supposedly, he "trespassed into a restricted forest area," where he encountered the wild elephant. Once he discovered the creature, he then proceeded to try and take a selfie with it. Clearly, the elephant was not in a photogenic mood. A bystander shared that it was the flash of the camera that set the elephant off.
Meaning yes, this entire incident could have been avoided had this gentleman used some common sense. The elephant struck Mr. Basavaraju so hard that it tore off his pants and underwear. After falling face-first into the tarmac and suffering extreme humiliation, Mr. Basavaraju also suffered severe injuries. Luckily, he expected to survive.
However, local forest authorities fined him " 25,000 rupees (around $285) for trespassing and provoking wildlife." Additionally, he was ordered to record a video confession, acknowledging the stupidity of his decision.
