The Russian family almost lost their lives because of an elephant attack

The elephant, weighing about three tons, suddenly rushed straight into the passenger car, causing the vehicle to shake strongly and even be lifted off the ground. Then, the animal used its trunk to rip open the door and put its trunk inside the car to find more fruit.

Liliya Mikhailovskaya, 43, said she and her family “almost lost their lives”.

“Just a few minutes before, I was recording a video. I didn’t expect that the seemingly harmless moment of feeding the elephants would turn into chaos,” the Russian tourist said, saying her son was forced to run barefoot to escape.

The elephant stopped when another tourist vehicle approached, sounded a warning horn, and fired a gun into the air. At the scene, the car was seriously damaged. Luckily, no one was injured and the tourist family left the park afterwards.

“We don’t want to see elephants anymore. Thank God we’re still alive,” Mikhailovskaya added.

Local officials said the elephant may be in the mating period, with increased testosterone levels making it aggressive and difficult to control. This condition can last about 20 days.

Last week, in eastern India, people in many villages were forced to sleep on roofs or climb trees to avoid danger when a ferocious elephant rampaged, killing at least 22 people, including four children. Many videos show people running away in panic when the elephant charged. The government mobilized more than 100 rangers to track down and tranquilize the elephant to prevent further attacks.

Mr. Aditya Narayan, chief forest ranger of Chaibasa area, said the elephant did not choose its target. “Anyone who appears in front of it is trampled,” Mr. Narayan said.

The national park in Sri Lanka is one of the attractive destinations for tourists thanks to its rich ecosystem and the highest density of wildlife in South Asia. In national parks such as Yala, Udawalawe or Minneriya, tourists travel by specialized vehicles, traveling on dirt roads to observe Asian elephants, leopards, wild buffalos, crocodiles and many precious birds in the natural environment.

Activities in national parks are often held in the early morning or late afternoon, when animals come out to feed more, and are strictly managed to ensure the safety of visitors as well as conservation work.