WATCH: Safari turns stressful as elephant bull lifts vehicle with tusks

JOHANNESBURG - Embarking on a safari is a gamble for even the most experienced game rangers, a thrill that drives tourists to see wildlife at its best. 

It is not surprising that sometimes, things go slightly pear-shaped. 

In a video that has since gone viral on various social media platforms, tourists and a guide encountered firsthand the might of nature, after an uncomfortably close encounter with an elephant bull earlier this week. 

Details are scant at this stage, but what is known is that the incident recently took place in the Pilanesberg National Park and Game Reserve in the North West. 

While out on safari, an elephant bull flaps its ears while walking territorially towards the vehicle, with tourists and a ranger inside. 

Despite the ranger making a noise and reversing the vehicle, the bull refuses to back down, eventually digging its tusks into the bottom of the car before lifting it up and dropping it. 

While remaining calm, the ranger shouts "Enough!" as the bull retreats back into the dense bush of the park. 

NO RUMOURS, PLEASE 

The Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) said in a statement after the incident that the park was conducting an internal investigation of the incident. 

The association implored the public not to engage in "rumours and speculation", reminding social media users that the incident was "clearly stressful for all those involved".

"FGASA and our members are committed to the highest standards of conduct and as such we must allow the correct investigative process to take place." 

Mankwe Game Trackers told TimesLIVE the bull in the video showed signs of musth, defined by the a journal entry in the MDPI as a biological phenomenon characterised by increased testosterone production, resulting in heightened aggressionm unpredictability, and sexual behaviour, which poses a challenge for human safety.

This cyclical behaviour occurs in both wild elephants and those in captivity.