A bungling tourist's dangerous encounter with a wild elephant became one of August's most popular videos. The terrifying footage, which shows the man straying too close for a selfie, was widely shared across social media and featured by major news publishers including the New York Post, Metro.co.uk, the Daily Mail, and more.
The selfie gone wrong
The dramatic footage shows a man trespassing into a restricted forest in India to take a photo with a wild elephant. The beast, angry from being bothered, made loud noises with its trunk and charged at the fleeing man. The man was quickly caught when he tripped and fell, escaping with only minor injuries after being briefly kicked by the animal.
Paying the price for his reckless behaviour
Forest officials confirmed they tracked down the man at his home. He was fined 25,000 Rupees (£212) and made to record a video confession, in which he admitted his actions stemmed from ignorance of wildlife safety rules. He also used the video to warn other tourists not to make the same mistake. Authorities emphasised that such reckless stunts not only endanger human lives but also provoke unpredictable and dangerous animal behaviour.
Your video could be a global story
You’ve captured a truly incredible moment, and your footage could be the next big headline. News outlets around the world are ready to pay for original videos just like yours. Why not get paid for what you've already recorded? Simply visit the ViralPress upload page to submit your raw clip and turn your eyewitness account into a global story.
