Tourist's flash photo sparks elephant charge at Bandipur reserve in India

A shocking incident at Karnataka's Bandipur Tiger Reserve has gone viral after an elephant aggressively charged at a tourist, allegedly provoked by a camera flash. The encounter, captured on video by foreign tourist Daniel Osorio, has reignited conversations around tourist safety and behaviour in protected wildlife zones.

The incident occurred on the busy road connecting Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which passes through the reserve. Osorio's viral Instagram post shows a calm elephant munching on carrots scattered by a passing truck, while vehicles wait silently behind. The peaceful moment turns tense when a man steps out of a white car to take a close-up photo, reportedly using flash.

In his caption, Osorio wrote, "The elephant was calmly eating. The man used a flash to take a close photo, and the elephant got startled." Moments later, the elephant charges. The man is seen running in panic, stumbling as the elephant gains ground. Fortunately, Osorio confirmed in a follow-up comment that the man survived without serious injury.

Wildlife experts and conservationists are outraged, calling the act both reckless and illegal and warning signs throughout the reserve instruct visitors to remain inside vehicles at all times. "This is exactly what such rules are meant to prevent," Osorio added. "Respecting wildlife means giving it space." The video has garnered millions of views, with viewers from around the world condemning the tourist's careless behaviour and praising the elephant for its restraint.

The Bandipur Tiger Reserve, home to elephants, tigers, and other endangered species, sees heavy tourist traffic. Forest officials are now considering additional barriers or monitoring systems to prevent such close encounters.