Viral Video Shows Elephants Charging At Hunters Who Killed One Of Their Herd

Video footage of an incident that occurred three or four years ago in Namibia has just been released, showing a herd of elephants taking exception to a pair of hunters who had shot one of the bulls in the herd.

The hunt took place at the Nakabolelwa Conservancy in north-east Namibia, according to Daily Mail, with professional hunter Corne Kruger explaining the the hunting laws in the area.

“There is a small quota of elephants in the area and we only hunt two elephants a year.”

Unfortunately for the hunters, the elephants don’t care about this rule. The video clip below shows the men on the hunt, sneaking up behind a herd of elephants. At one point they realize they have been seen, and retreat slightly before getting back into position to shoot one of the animals. One of them can be heard saying “hit him between the eyes” before the shot is taken.

As soon as the shots ring out, the herd seems to panic, running in a number of different directions as they try to identify the threat. The injured bull stumbles forward, and the hunters shoot him twice more as he falls to the ground.

The rest of the heard sees the men, and seems to start running towards them. The hunters react by screaming out at the elephants as if trying to intimidate them, and sprinting in the opposite direction in panic. The animals quickly give up the charge, and the men can be heard laughing in relief that they seem to have gotten away with it.

Warning: This video is graphic and may disturb some viewers.

Kruger, speaking to South African publication News24, defended the hunt, saying the shooting was “legal and sustainable.” He added that the incident took place years ago, and he doesn’t understand why the video only emerged now.

Trophy hunting, which remains a contentious issue in Southern Africa, is still allowed in many countries when carried out with legal permission. Several companies in Namibia allow the practice to foreign visitors, many of whom pay a small fortune to be able to shoot endangered wildlife.

Hunting season in the country runs from March through to October, and professional hunters accompany the hunts when big game is involved.

While trophy hunting is legal to a certain degree, permission must be obtained in order for it to be so, as hunting without permission is still considered to be poaching.