After visiting this picturesque savanna,
your memories will last a lifetime.
But if you scare that elephant,
this could be a memory
you may want to black out.
Documentaries allow humans
to view these
spectacularly massive mammals
up close in their natural environment.
But as this crew learned,
sometimes it's better
to observe at a distance.
After being hunted
by a pride of lions,
a herd of 40 elephants stampeded
through the bush
towards the tourists.
This guide kept his group safe
by letting the herd pass through
without panicking
and holding their ground.
But if an elephant charges at you,
Powerful and majestic,
elephants aren't the harmless animal
that kids cartoons
would have you believe.
With less than half a million elephants
left on Earth,
this endangered species
kills 500 people a year.
Coveted for their tusks,
if an elephant survives
a traumatic encounter with poachers,
don't expect them to greet you
with a friendly trunk.
While elephants may not forget
their experiences,
if you follow these steps,
you might live to remember
this moment too.
Weighing up to 8,000 kg (17,600 lb)
and standing 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 ft),
the African bush elephant
is the largest land animal
alive on Earth.
So if this beast charges at you,
don't expect it to get out of your way.
Find something sturdy to hide in,
like a cave, or climb a tree.
And if you can't climb a tree,
hide behind its trunk,
and wait for the stampede
to pass through.
If you can't find shelter,
lie on the ground.
The elephants won't trample you
if they don't consider you a threat.
If this herd does
consider you a threat though,
all bets are off.
Clocking in at speeds
up to 40 km/h (25 mph),
and with the ability to take sharp turns,
this animal isn't a lumbering oaf.
As you're running,
take an article of clothing
or another object
and throw it away from you.
Let the elephant trample
your backpack instead of your spine.
Before the stampede begins,
an elephant could pretend to charge
so it can assess your threat level.
If the trunk hangs loosely,
and it's swinging one leg back-and-forth,
the animal is preparing
to mock charge you.
When they do,
hold your ground,
and don't turn your back.
As one survivor said,
"Show the illusion of strength."
The elephant will flap
its ears aggressively,
and toot its trunk.
Take a cue from the elephant,
and make a commotion,
but don't run away.
If the animal sees you run,
this act of submission
could give them a reason
to chase you down.
If you're able to walk away
before a stampede starts,
keep downwind.
If an elephant picks up your scent,
it could consider you a threat,
depending on its last interaction
with humans.
Elephants have a keen sense of smell,
so try to stay
at least 50 m (164 ft) away,
and never get closer
than 20 m (65 ft).
Even if the herd passes by,
the elephants may not
be done with you.
If you had to lie on the ground,
stay there,
and don't make any sudden movements.
The elephants may think you're dead,
and try to bury you body
in leaves and branches.
If you found shelter,
keep safe until the herd
is out of sight.
While you personally
may not pose any danger to an elephant,
humans' violent obsession
with this powerful beast
may taint their views toward you.
You can't outrun an elephant,
but if you treat these animals
with respect,
maybe you'll be the human
they want to remember.
So the herd has passed,
and the danger is gone.
But these poachers aren't satisfied,
and they decide
maybe you're worth more than a tusk.
How are you going to survive
being taken hostage?
Keep calm,
and learn right here,
on the next How to Survive.