During a South African safari, an elephant found an unconventional way to relieve an itch—by scratching itself against a car.
The VW Polo, carrying two terrified passengers, was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the massive elephant bent down and rubbed itself against the car’s roof and hood.
The remarkable moment was captured by 21-year-old Armand Grobler, a field guide and lodge manager at Pilanesburg National Park in South Africa.
“I was studying ethology—the science of animal behavior—at the time, so I had a basic understanding of what was happening,” Armand explained.
He noted that the elephant was likely experiencing musth, a condition in which male elephants have a surge in testosterone, often making them more aggressive.
“Despite being in musth, this elephant showed no signs of anger or frustration. Instead, it seemed to be in a playful mood,” he added.
Elephants commonly rub against logs, small trees, and rocks to relieve itches or remove parasites. However, with the car conveniently nearby, this elephant seized the opportunity to use it as a scratching post.
Armand recounted the tense moment: “When the elephant made contact with the car, we were unsure of what to do. As the vehicle was being crushed, we feared for the safety of the driver and passenger, but there was little we could do to intervene.”
“Our vehicle was filled with adrenaline and terror as we watched helplessly.”
The occupants of the car—a man and a woman in their late 20s or early 30s—were unharmed but left deeply shaken. “They were in shock but grateful to be alive,” Armand said.
The car, however, wasn’t as fortunate. “From what we could see, all the windows were shattered, the roof was severely dented, and the top of the car was almost completely crushed. All four tires were blown out, and the chassis was broken.”
As for the elephant, once it had satisfied its itch, it casually walked away, completely unaware of the destruction it had left behind.
