VIDEO: Elephant pushes down massive tree to access fresh leaves
Updated | By Breakfast with Martin Bester
A magnificent sighting shared online shows the moment an elephant pushed down an entire tree near the Kruger National Park.
Being the largest land animal on earth and making the list of Africa's renowned Big Five, Elephants are by far one of the most majestic animals one can find in nature.
It goes without saying that these giants, standing up to 3m high and weighing up to 6,000kg on average, also have immense strength.
A video recently shared by Latest Sightings, a platform which shares incredible animal sightings from all over the world, shows an elephant using this strength to push down a massive tree effortlessly.
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According to the Latest Sightings report, this behaviour is natural as elephants usually topple trees to gain access to the fresh leaves at the top of the tree.
The video was taken by David den Hartog at the Mala Mala Game Reserve, which shares an unfenced boundary with the world-renowned Kruger National Park.
Watch here:
@latestsightings Elephant casually pushes down tree 😳
♬ original sound - Latest Sightings
Following this incredible sight, Latest Sightings also explained this behaviour on their official website, naming elephants "crucial architects of biodiversity within their ecosystems."
"While it may seem destructive, this activity is a natural ecological process that enhances habitat diversity and accessibility."
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"When elephants bring down a tree, they not only reach the nutrients themselves but also enable other animals to access the bounty of fresh leaves and branches, thereby enriching the overall biodiversity."
Due to significantly less space to roam than their ancestors, any action of an elephant is more pronounced than ever before and has a heightened effect on their environment.
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Image: YouTube/ Screenshot
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