Elephant appears atop faulty cliff, leaving onlookers 'petrified'

A beloved male elephant left safari onlookers in awe and concerned for his safety recently when he appeared at the edge of a towering river bank to forage on vegetation.

“Mabula quite literally living on the edge,” Thula Thula Private Game Reserve, located in South Africa, described via social media. “We were all petrified watching Mabula so close to the edge of the bank on the Enseleni River which often crumbles in heavy rains.”

Among the top Facebook comments was this from Yvonne Moore: “Mabula be careful… You’re treading on dangerous terrain there.”

A Thula Thula Instagram follower commented: “Couldn’t breathe watching this.”

Mabula, part of a herd of seven elephants rescued years ago, is described by Thula Thula as “our entertainer” and certainly lived up to that billing on this day.

The reserve did not respond to inquiries by FTW Outdoors but it’s presumed that Mabula ultimately retreated safely from the bank.

The footage was credited to Kim Mcleod Photography.