When we had our wedding related visit to Sri Lanka, there was a wonderful chance one time to go on an elephant safari. This happened a short while after I had listened to some personal stories about the temperamental and dangerous side of your Sri Lankan elephant. From someone who had themselves witnessed a relative being killed.

Elephants live in the wild in Sri Lanka, but because the island is small and fairly heavily populated, there is a lot of contact between the elephants and humans. Now and then, more often than is comfortable to think about, an elephant can get it into its head to attack people. There are about hundred deaths from elephant attacks every year apparently.

So, same day I heard that story, we were on a jeep in a nature reserve, and we had a great close up view of a herd of wild elephants. My Sri Lankan relatives who were with me were a lot more cautious, and stayed seated beneath the protective bars. Brave me (ha ha!) stayed stood up the whole time for a better view.

Until … well, I can only say that there was a brief moment when my heart nearly stopped. I was looking at a bull elephant. And he started looking at me. And I can only say that he wasn’t looking at me in a particularly friendly manner. He started moving in our direction very quickly. An elephant can easily lift a human out the jeep with its trunk.

The driver, I’m glad to say, was experienced and saw almost straight away (there was a brief delay) what was happening. He started the engine and drove away. I lived to see another day.

Fortunately, a Delayed Reaction is better than no reaction.

No reaction means you’re deid.