A young man from Lancashire witnessed an extraordinary moment when an exceptionally agile elephant climbed a five-foot wall in an attempt to snatch some mangoes from his safari lodge.
The incident took place at Mfuwe Lodge in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, just after the visitors had left for their afternoon safari drive on a Saturday.
Ian Salisbury, the lodge’s general manager at 68 years old, watched as the adult male elephant carefully planned its approach to getting its massive four legs over the stone wall without losing balance.
Amusing photographs captured by Ian show the clever creature maneuvering its limbs over the wall in a way that brings to mind how a human might tackle such an obstacle.
Captured in pursuit of mangoes: A young man from Lancashire documented the ‘amazing’ sight of an exceptionally agile elephant scaling a five-foot wall.
Interestingly, Ian’s photos capture the large mammal skillfully swinging its legs over the wall, reminiscent of how a human might navigate the obstacle.
While exploring the camp, Andy Hogg, who is the managing director of The Bushcamp Company and the lodge’s owner, recorded a short but unsuccessful attempt by a large creature to find snacks on video.
This particular camp usually plays host to a family of elephants from October to mid-December. However, this unexpected visitor arrived too late in search of mangoes, which were out of season.
Ian, originally from Bacup, Lancashire, commented, “He simply chose the most direct path and settled in comfortably. The guests found it highly amusing to see an elephant trying to climb. They were truly amazed that it would go to the trouble of scaling such a tall wall.”
Upon entering the camp, Andy Hogg, the managing director of The Bushcamp Company, which owns the lodge, captured the giant creature’s brief yet unsuccessful search for food on video.
Ian, who originally comes from Bacup, Lancashire, commented, “He simply opted for the most direct path and settled in comfortably. We were out on a safari drive in the National Park at the time, so we regret missing the chance to witness it firsthand.”
The lodge boasts a central foyer area that is spacious and often attracts a family of elephants in early winter. However, these elephants typically follow a paved path rather than taking the direct route over the wall.
Ian elaborated, “He was unfamiliar to us. He seemed curious and eager to reach the central area where a large mango tree stands. He appeared quite hungry and seemed to anticipate finding some wild mangoes, although none are available at this time of year. He reached over, glanced around, nibbled on some grass, and then retraced his steps curiously the same way he came, which was quite amusing. His most convenient way to reach there was to climb over this high wall, a rather unusual behavior for an elephant.”
Ian remarked, “He was a stranger to us, appearing quite inquisitive as he made his way towards the central area where a large mango tree stands.”
“It was remarkable to observe how he skillfully used his four legs to scale the wall, especially considering the elephant was a sizable bull, likely around 30 years old, in his prime.”
Ian speculated that the unusually wet weather might have prompted the lone elephant to take a detour to avoid potential floods. He explained, “Elephants have a tendency to roam over vast distances, and depending on food availability, they may wander into certain areas. While the past week had been relatively dry, we experienced a significant amount of rain that almost caused flooding. Whether this influenced him to explore the area, I cannot say for certain.”
