They say elephants never forget. Well, it’s time for this adorable baby to remember how to stay on his feet – since the clumsy boy can’t stop face-planting while trying to hike!
It is a heartwarming yet hilarious moment when the three-week-old tried to walk and was captured on a South African camera.
The elephant struggles to use its trunk for much-needed balance and repeatedly falls over – landing face-first on the road surface.
Photographer Graeme Mitchley took the cute snapshots in Kruger National Park in the northeast of the country.
He said, “This baby elephant entertained us for a good five minutes – he was great fun and face-planted a few times.”
We were actually on our way back to Johannesburg after a lovely relaxing weekend in the park, but when we saw this, we had to stop.
We stopped because there was a breeding herd of elephants by the road, and it’s always safer to keep your distance, especially when babies are around.
When they are young, they still find out how the trunk functions and often over-balance.
Some people say he is tired, and others say he liked the street’s taste – I don’t know, I know that it made us laugh.
After a while, an older male elephant decided it was time to leave, and the baby quickly followed.
Elephants are usually on their feet, walking within a few moments of their birth.
At three weeks old, though, he’s certainly got plenty of time to learn – elephants usually live for around 60 years.
Read more Elephant News.