Going on a safari in Africa to see wild animals is at the top of many people’s bucket lists, but sometimes these adventures take an unexpected turn. Earlier this week, Good Morning America (@gma) shared a shocking video on TikTok showing a massive elephant attacking a group of tourists on a canoe safari in Botswana, leaving one tourist incredibly lucky to be alive.
The clip features two of the tourists who were on the canoe sharing their stories. It shows a female elephant fiercely protecting her herd’s calves, even though the young ones were completely hidden from the tourists’ view when they first approached.
Wow! The female tourist was so lucky that this happened in the water and not on land, or chances are, she wouldn’t have survived the elephant’s attack.
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Commenters
Viewers had a lot to say about the Good Morning America video. @cara said simply, “Team elephant.” @BW shared, “I’m sorry this happened, and I’m glad everyone is ok. It’s also a powerful reminder, however, that this was the elephant’s home, not the tourists’. I hope that no one harms the elephant as a result of this incident.” @UserCrystalP agreed, “People need to respect the elephant’s space, they’re just protecting their family.”
We’re with @Timo25, who shared, “Safari in a covered truck is one thing, in a canoe??? Nooo way!” Yeah, it seems like sitting in the water in a canoe is a little too close for comfort! As @Ayisha Adams pointed out, “Cool story to tell your grandkids though…”
Commenter @misskay shared, “Even us here in Botswana know that you don’t come close to elephants. Glad you guys are ok though…when you meet one on your property in the morning before going to work, you wait until it’s gone. That’s how it is here…we don’t mess with Mother Nature.”
@beatricepage92 pointed out, “People always claiming to know wild animals, even if the elephant was alone, if it wants to attack, it attacks, so the advice is wild animals are dangerous and unpredictable, go on tour at your own risk.” @Lori H. agreed, “She probably warned them several times. Having been on safari, you respect the animals.”
Safarikzn.com, based in South Africa, shared some of the things that elephants do when they are uncomfortable, and yes, they usually let you know before they charge. When irritated, elephants will rock on one foot, which may look like they’re kicking dust up. They’ll also hold their ears out longer than a flap (which is something they do to regulate their body temperature). They’ll also trumpet to let you know you’re getting too close. What they are doing when they do this is showing you how big they are and warning you of their size.
The same article goes on to say NEVER ride towards elephants because their personal space is VERY important. They also say, “If you are stupid enough to continue your approach or ignore the warnings, you will be in the animal’s FIGHT zone. Not a good place to be… RED ZONE! It’s usually followed by a full charge and certain contact, injury, or death.” That’s exactly what happened in this video!
This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Oct 12, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.