If by a stroke of ill fortune you come face-to-face with an angry elephant, you’ll need to know how to avoid being hurt. Fortunately, most elephant charges are just “mock” charges meant to frighten you but not harm you. If facing down a charging, angry elephant, your best bet is to shout, yell, and make as much noise as you can. With these directions in mind, you’ll be well prepared to survive an elephant charge.
Recognize that if the elephant’s ears are pinned back it’s about to charge. If an elephant’s ears are relaxed, it is probably making a mock charge. Ears that are fanned out are likewise indicative of a mock charge. If the elephant’s ears are pinned back flat, it is likely that the charge is real. Most charges made by elephants are mock charges. That is, the elephant is pretending to charge but is actually testing you out to see if you’re aggressive or a non-threat.
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Look at the elephant’s trunk to see if it’s curled inward in attack position. During a genuine charge, an elephant will curl its trunk up and inward. If its trunk is hanging loosely down, on the other hand, the elephant is probably only making a mock charge. Being able to recognize the difference between an elephant who is making a mock charge and an elephant who is about to trample you may save your life.
See if the elephant is twitching its trunk or swinging one leg to and fro. These actions are known as “displacement activities.” They’re physical signs that show an elephant’s indecision regarding whether to charge or mock charge. If you see an elephant doing displacement activities, it’s probably about to make a mock charge, not a real charge. The more pronounced these displacement activities, the more likely the elephant is making a threatening show out of fear and has no intention to really charge.
