Dramatic Video of Rhino Attacking NatGeo Photographer

[Michael Pancier]

Photographer Steve Winter while on anti poaching patrol in India atop an elephant, experiences unexpected charging rhino and manages to get photos as well ....(wonder what pics looked like though)

See it here.

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Makes you feel sorry for the elephant. I'm wondering why they didn't turn around before the rhino got agitated.

[Alfred Forns]

Thanks for the link Mike ... anticipating behavior is a good thing !!!

[Ken Watkins]

Absolutely shocking, you can easily tell that the Rhino is agitated, why they did not back off is beyond me. This is the sort of price that should never be paid to get an image, and certainly something that should be posted by National Geographic, there is far too much irresponsible behaviour allready:(

[Jamie Strickland]

wonderful to see such ridiculous behavior from NG, obviously the rhino was upset to begin with they should have just backed off and left it alone ! the poor elephant got the worst of it for no reason other than human stupidity

[Marc Mol]

Absolutely shocking, you can easily tell that the Rhino is agitated, why they did not back off is beyond me. This is the sort of price that should never be paid to get an image, and certainly something that should be posted by National Geographic, there is far too much irresponsible behaviour allready:(

Couldn't agree more Ken, an extremely bad example they set!

[Harshad Barve]

I simply don't understand why these NG people love to shoot from elephant when you can get great shooting angles from vehicles. I have seen these guys agitating Tigers in Bandhavgrah too. I have zero respect for NG photos as they bend all kind of rules and ethics to get images :(
TFS link Michael

[Ed Cordes]

Thanks for the link! Pretty dramatic example of what gives nature photographers a bad name. This is exactly the behavior we try to discourage. The rhino is obviously agitated and its behavior is obviously being influenced by the people and elephant. If this were in Yellowstone a fine would have been levied. They also didn't seem well trained. I heard one of them exclaim "dropped the gun! dropped the gun!". I guess a gun is necessary if they were on anti poaching patrol. However anyone trained to enter into possibly confrontational situations with firearms would protect their weapon and not "drop" it when there is a bit of excitement or confusion.

All in all a terrible example of poor judgement and action by NG.

[Cliff Beittel]

. . . They also didn't seem well trained. I heard one of them exclaim "dropped the gun! dropped the gun!". I guess a gun is necessary if they were on anti poaching patrol. However anyone trained to enter into possibly confrontational situations with firearms would protect their weapon and not "drop" it when there is a bit of excitement or confusion.

All in all a terrible example of poor judgement and action by NG.

Tough crowd here. It presumably wasn't NG that dropped the gun, but a member of the anti-poaching patrol. Poorly trained? Maybe, but not surprising on a low budget. Two FBI agents lost their guns (and one his eyeglasses) in the great 1986 FBI Miami Shootout. One laid his gun on the car seat before ramming the bad guys' car, and the gun was ejected from the car in the collision. From the NG video, I'd say the chaos on that elephant was at least as great as in the collision that started the Miami shootout (though the shootout got much, much worse, with two agents killed and five wounded). It's a miracle no one was thrown from the elephant.

According to Winter's blog, he was instructed to stay on the elephant--only armed patrol members were allowed on the ground. Did the rhino look agitated? Sure. But presumably the local elephant driver and the guards had plenty of experience with local rhinos, and presumably such a charge was unusual. It would be an ugly American indeed who would presume to tell his hosts how to behave in their own park. If it makes everyone feel better, I'd say from the video that Winter was genuinely terrified, and likely wasn't looking to get charged and possibly killed.

[peter delaney]

Its very easy for people to critical of a situation like this and to take the moral high ground... I am pretty certain that all those involved had the Rhino and elephants best interest at heart. From the video they did not seem to be doing any thing wrong, they surpirised a rhino in long grass, they are on top of an elephant , its not like they are in 4x4 and can move out of the situation quickly.

To be honest the guides and driver did a great job in controlling the elephant . Final result one male rhino feeling please with himself for protecting his territory. No body was hurt and a few scratches on the ellie.... it could have been worse those people could have fallen off and been trampled... so please people dont be so quick to be judge ,jury and executioner... it could have been you ..