After discovering the trapped young animal stuck up to its neck in a muddy puddle, the buffalo hunters decided to turn their hand to conservation.
A group of hunters rescued a baby elephant who was stuck up to its neck in a muddy puddle
The elephant, who was less than three-years-old had been stuck in mud all night, and was struggling in the sweltering conditions
Fortunately the rescuers were able to get out of the way before they or the elephant was hurt.
Professional photo guide Norman Crooks was accompanying the group in Chirundu, Zimbabwe, when they discovered the baby.
He said: ‘A member of the National Parks and Wildlife went out on a game drive with conservation students and discovered an elephant, less than three-years-old, stuck in the mud a couple of hundred metres away.
Conservation students first saw the stricken elephant in Chirundu, Zimbabwe, before the hunters were called in to help
The men used ropes to pull the animal free – but the stressed elephant decided to turn on them
‘We immediately abandoned our buffalo hunt and went to help, as I know from experience that when animals get stuck they do not last long.
The hunters poured water on the elephant to keep him cool in the oppressive 42 degree heat
The rescuers were able to get out of the way before they or the elephant was hurt, and he was later reunited with his family
‘He was quite aggressive and lunged at us with his trunk, but eventually we managed to get a rope underneath him.