Everyone wants to learn to ride a bike when they’re young. After all, it’s a practical skill that can serve us well throughout our entire lives.
One thing most people don’t spend too much time considering, though, is the risk involved with bicycles. From bumps and bruises to cuts and broken arms, there are a lot of things that can go wrong.
Of course, every now and again there comes a risk that nobody could be prepared for.
Have you ever had a large animal try to run you down while pedaling down the road?
More specifically, have you ever been chased down by an elephant? We didn’t think so.
This man was out and about, and by the looks of it just made a quick run to the store judging by the small bag hanging by his handlebar. He looks behind him and… Holy sweet elephants, Batman!
Yes, a full-grown elephant sprinted after him.
The man starts pedaling furiously and in a panic, even has a foot slip off the pedal. No laughing matter there. Those legs suddenly moved like fueled pistons!
You would too if a nearly 5-ton animal came at you.
They may be herbivores, but when they stand anywhere from six to ten feet at the shoulder it’s basically a moving war tank. Check out what’s going on behind the cyclist and the elephant.
The cars behind them refused to move, lest they experience the full weight of an elephant’s power.
Elephants have been known to flip cars over before.
But what was this huge creature doing in the middle of the road? After it chases the cyclist away, the elephant walks back nonchalantly, giving the other drivers a death stare before heading by the bushes on the side of the road.
Out comes four more elephants. One about his size while the others much younger. You’re probably guessing this elephant made sure the road was clear of any potential threats before allowing the family to cross.
They are highly intelligent creatures, but they are also endangered.
Agricultural development, habitat loss, and the ivory trade have led to the dwindling numbers of these magnificent animals. It’s a shame really, as these elephants have a highly evolved neocortex, similar to us, apes, and dolphins.
Among other things, elephants can demonstrate compassion, grief, mimicry, and self-awareness.
They like to travel and cover large areas as they feed to fuel those huge bodies.
It’s a good thing they prefer plants over meat. Adults can consume up to 300 pounds of food in a day.
Being the elegant, massive creatures that they are, elephants also need to keep their strength up.
Elephants are extremely protective of their young. Not even big cats dare to approach elephant kids. Tourists in SUVs and vans will tell you how mother elephants will charge at the vehicle if it gets too close.
Remember the whole, elephants are intelligent, part? Well, here you go. Let the adult check out foreign threats first then let the family cross the road. The adult saw all the stopped cars and must have been proud of the traffic it caused.
You have to wonder how much longer it took for those cars to start moving again. I doubt any one of those drivers wanted to check it the coast was clear of the elephants. It may not be Jurassic Park but they’re still huge.
So, why did the elephants cross the road?
Can you pedal as fast as this man did? See it firsthand in the video below!
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Source: YouTube, National Geographic
