Pierre Rossouw sent this video of his close encounter to Latest Sightings. He filmed the incident on his dashcam while visiting South Africa’s Marakele National Park.
Driving slowly through the thick bush
When visitors enter South African national parks, they are required to follow specific regulations for their safety and that of the resident wildlife.
Key among these is to adhere to the speed limit, and that is exactly what Pierre was doing as he drove through Marakele.
As we join the action, we get a dashcam view as he makes his way down a dirt road, fringed on either side by dense vegetation.
His dashcam footage indicates that he was driving at less than 20 km/h, well within the 30 km/h speed limit. His low speed is commendable, especially as visibility is limited.
All clear ahead
As Pierre approached a junction in the road, he slowed down, his dashcam showing a speed of just 12 km/h. At this point, the road ahead looks clear, with no sign of the surprise waiting around the corner.
Nevertheless, Pierre’s adherence to the speed limit and cautious driving suggest he knows that when in the bush, it is better to be safe than sorry. And, it is just as well.
Came from nowhere!
As he prepares to make a left turn, we see a blur of movement, slightly obscured by the vegetation. This is followed by one of the most intimidating sights one can have on a game drive.
Seemingly unprovoked, except possibly by the sound of the approaching vehicle, an elephant bull is advancing at a rapid speed.
Brace for impact
Consequently, there is little Pierre can do but bring his vehicle to a standstill as the bull charges. Heading straight towards the car, the elephant seemingly has no intention of stopping
As we brace for impact, the elephant looms ever larger in the camera frame. With its ears flared to intimidate and tusks bearing down, it seems to be in the middle of a meltdown. Ominously, it makes no noise, as if this is an intentional ambush.
Contact!
With Pierre now stationary, the elephant seems to slow its advance before making contact. It’s almost as if it realised it was making a mistake.
Regardless, when a 5-ton elephant changes its mind midstride, it still takes a while to stop. As it comes to a stop, it appears that it drops its tusks onto the roof of Pierre’s vehicle. At this, we hear a loud crunch as his windscreen cracks.
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Calm under pressure
The bull then backs up, as if waiting for Pierre to make the next move. Amazingly, throughout the ordeal, Pierre doesn’t say a word, much less scream in terror. Either he is in shock or has nerves of steel.
Instead, he sensibly engages reverse gear and starts backing away from the stationary bull. To our relief, the bull doesn’t press home its attack.
Showing remarkable calm, puts a healthy amount of distance between himself and the elephant. Thankfully, the elephant does not chase him.
Eventually, Pierre finds a place to turn his vehicle around. One can only imagine that after his close call, he was all too happy to find another route.
Hormonal vs spooked
Male elephants periodically go into a state of heightened hormone levels called ‘musth’. During these phases, they can be aggressive and unpredictable. While this might be the case here, we see no physical evidence, such as streaming temporal glands or dripping urine.
As such, we can only speculate that the bull was spooked and acted in haste. Were it a full-blown attack, the outcome could’ve been catastrophic.
Woman Adopts Her Perfect Dog, But One Heartbreaking Vet Visit Changes Everything
In the vast sea of dog stories, this particular one had me break into a million pieces! Taylor and Ozzie’s story is real proof of how incredible the bond between dogs and humans can be.
You laugh together, cry together, you share the most intimate secrets and moments, and you just can’t imagine living life without each other anymore! But, what do you do when everything goes wrong? What happens then?
Ozzy’s life story will reveal how truly inspiring the human-dog bond can be, even in what can only be called the worst of times.
Ozzie Was The Perfect Dog
Source: @livingdogfriendly
Taylor adopted Ozzie at just a few weeks of age. She looked on Craigslist for puppies needing to be rehomed and saw a picture of a floppy-eared, brown pup with one blue and one brown eye – and she instantly fell in love!
Ozzie looked like the perfect dog, and the fact that she had to drive from North Carolina all the way to Washington D.C. didn’t stop her! She was inclined to adopt him!
“I was in college, didn’t have that much money, had 3 roommates, was in school full time, played tennis for college full time, and worked part time. How could I fit a puppy into that schedule,” Taylor wrote on Instagram.
Source: @livingdogfriendly
The two formed an amazing bond right off the bat! He was just an amazing pup that adapted into the new life in no time. In a way, both Taylor and Ozzie shared the same hobbies and interests.
Both loved hiking, going to the beach, walking in the park, and basically any outdoor activity.
“He is THE adventure guy. He loves to go hiking, to the beach, kayaking, in the snow, to breweries, parks, literally you put him in the car (or on a train, yes, he has been on a train) and he is ready for the adventure,” wrote Taylor.
Every time they had a chance to embark on a new adventure – they took it! Ozzie has always been an adventurous boi, and that really made his new mom fall in love with him even more!
Source: @livingdogfriendly
Years later, Taylor and her partner adopted another dog, Lulu, who became Ozzie’s best friend.
The two formed an incredible bond and really enjoyed each other’s company. Their playtime was practically a zoomie-show, and despite the fact that both were so energetic, they would always end the day with the sweetest snuggling ever!
Several amazing years later, Taylor noticed Ozzie limping, and she immediately rushed him to the vet. Unfortunately, the diagnosis was horrible!
The Devastating Vet Visit
Source: @livingdogfriendly
The vet took Ozzie to do some X-rays, and ten minutes later, he came out with the heartbreaking diagnosis. Ozzie suffered from osteosarcoma – a bone tumor and he only had a couple of months to live.
After receiving the news, Taylor was devastated. She called her husband who immediately left work and came. Luckily, there was one option to extend Ozzie’s life for several extra months – the amputation of his front leg and chemo.
Source: @livingdogfriendly
The couple didn’t think twice. They agreed to subject Ozzie to treatment despite all the hardship and extra commitment that awaited.
But, even through his surgery – Ozzie was just the most enthusiastic, happiest boi! He didn’t take the smile off his face even for one bit. He was a real fighter, and so were his parents!
Ozzie got his own, big bag that Taylor and her husband got just for walks. As he didn’t have so much strength (especially after chemo) to hike and walk like he used to, the couple carried him on their back, sometimes even for several miles.
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A post shared by Lulu & forever Ozzie (@livingdogfriendly)
They just couldn’t stand the idea of Ozzie not being able to enjoy his favorite things – and this was the only way to do it. His mom and dad did everything to make his quality of life better, and despite his progressing disease, Ozzie enjoyed every single moment!
The entire family helped Ozzie during his journey. Taylor’s dad, who was also battling cancer and lived in another state, felt the need to support this big boi. He’d send ice cream for Ozzie after every chemo session, which was just the cutest thing ever.
And, Lulu was just the greatest sister ever. Normally, she’s extremely hyper, but once she realized her brother was in pain, she turned into the gentlest sibling ever.
Your Memory Will Be Preserved, Good Boi
Source: @livingdogfriendly
After months of battling with his terminal disease, Ozzie sadly crossed the rainbow bridge. He lost the battle with cancer in March 2023 and went to eternal sleep.
Taylor and her husband were very heartbroken to part ways with Ozzie, but the fact that this beautiful boi had an amazing life till his last breath helped them cope.
“You touched so many lives, more than I had ever imagined a dog could. The love you gave was ever present and you lit up every room you walked into,” Taylor wrote in the touching Instagram post.
Ozzie was a unique dog, and he indeed made his family’s life so beautiful! Taylor and her family have moved to a new home in Virginia, but if I can say one thing with certainty, it’s that his legacy will certainly be remembered by his loved ones… Forever!
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