Greedy elephant uses its trunk to rummage for snacks in Jeep scaring tourists on safari in incredible footage

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Watch as one of the Jeep’s occupants crouches behind the back seat to avoid the circling elephant trunk.

Video footage shows the moment a greedy elephant terrified a group of tourists on safari when it used its trunk to rummage around their Jeep for a snack.

Ilona Johansson Jänkänpää, 22, was on a safari ride with her boyfriend Jacob Tillberg, 24, and some friends when an elephant ran at their vehicle and put its trunk through the window to search for food in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The driver can be seen reversing as the elephant slowly starts to approach the vehicle. The elephant picks up pace and wraps its trunk around the back of the Jeep, where Ilona and her friends are sitting. As the elephant sweeps its trunk around the vehicle’s floor, two of the Jeep’s occupants opt to move from where they are sitting to avoid the elephant.

The driver tries to reassure his passengers saying "it's ok, don't worry" and "don't move". The elephant eventually leaves after it is unsuccessful in finding snacks. The Jeep drives off, with the friends laughing in relief.

Elephant uses trunk to rummage for snacks in tourists’ Jeep.Elephant uses trunk to rummage for snacks in tourists’ Jeep.
Elephant uses trunk to rummage for snacks in tourists’ Jeep. | Ilona Johansson Jänkänpää

Ilona, from Gällivare, Sweden, said: "He [the elephant] started to run up to us, looking for food in the Jeep, and we panicked. It was just looking for food, but I was scared because it looked so aggressive.

"It only lasted a couple of minutes but it felt like a long time because we didn't know how it would react. The trip was worth it in the end but it's definitely an experience I'll remember my whole life. It was terrifying in the moment but now we can look back and laugh!"

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1854
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice