Massive elephant rams safari truck off road as tourists run for their lives

The elephant became angry as the group got too close to its mating herd at Selati Game Reserve.

Terrifying footage has captured the moment a six-ton elephant charged towards a safari truck loaded with students and lifted it off the ground.

The 4-metre tall elephant was seen scrapping its foot on the ground before charging towards the group and piercing the front of the truck of the 11-seater truck.

Eco-students managed to escape the truck before the elephant toppled it over before running for safety.

The incident happened near the Selati Game Reserve in Hoedspruit, South Africa, and proved a frightening experience as the safari guides were trainees.

The bull elephant was in season for mating and became enraged when the group got too close to its breeding herd.

The elephant became angry as the group got too close to its mating herd at Selati Game Reserve.

When they are ready to breed their testosterone levels have been known to multiply by up to 60 times.

They become sexually aggressive and hostile towards humans and secrete a tar-like discharge on the same of their heads to warn of their arousal.

The trainee safari guides were forced to run to another vehicle as the elephant rammed them.

The students on board were rushed back to their accommodation and have since received counselling following the frightening experience.

They were unharmed and the wrecked vehicle was later recovered by staff.

It's not the first time in recent years humans have been the target of enraged elephants.

In 2018 a top safari ranger Mark Lautenbach, 33, was trampled to death by a sexually-charged bull elephant that had broken into a game park lodge on a rampage.

He had tried to move the angry elephant away from a tourist area at the Leopard Rock Lodge on the Madikwe Game Reserve.

The African elephants, who live up to 70 years, can move at speeds up to 40km/h.

Tourists are told the best way to escape a potential attack is to run in a zig zag or try and hide behind trees or boulders.