The wildlife encounter played out like slapstick, and nobody was hurt (except, perhaps, the lion's feelings).
An elephant and a lion engaged in a comical standoff recently at a well in South Africa before the plucky pachyderm provided the punch line. (Watch the video below.)
In a video posted by the wildlife platform Latest Sightings, a lion was lounging by the well at the Balule Game Reserve when an elephant approached, unaware of the lion reclining behind the well. But the lion realised the elephant was approaching. The elephant took a few tentative sips of water before deciding enough was enough and used its trunk to flick water at the lion, which promptly skedaddled into the bush.
The elephant let out a gloriously triumphant roar (as if to say 'got you!') as it ran after the lion, but suddenly stopped and retreated slightly at the roar of an unseen lion - and the video clip ended there.
“The lioness and elephant both went about their day, perhaps with a newfound respect for each other,” Latest Sightings wrote.