Curious elephant removes branch to discover water pipe in Kruger National Park

Curious elephant removes branch to discover water pipe in Kruger National Park

This curious elephant managed to remove a branch with its trunk when looking for a water pipe on South Africa's Kruger National Park.

The footage captured on September 30, 2017, shows the large animal using its trunk and feet to remove al large branch and other debris, including rocks, to reveal a water pipe.

The filmer explained: "Living in the bush, some of the biggest maintenance nightmares are caused by Elephants.

"From smashing electric fences around camps, right to their favourite, ripping up water pipes.

"Trying to hide any freshwater plumbing from them is a near-impossible task.

"Elephant’s sense of smell are incredible, especially for finding water.

"They can smell a pipe with water at depths of 3 meters or more below the ground.

"In this video, it shows how this elephant discovers the hidden end of an overflow water pipe below a dam.

"Covering the end of the pipe with logs and rocks clearly doesn’t stop a determined elephant looking for a pipe.

"With no effort, these obstacles were removed and the end of the pipe exposed.

"As they do, the elephant started pulling the pipe to see what comes out.

"They are always after freshwater rather than muddy river or dam water.

"Living among humans, they have learned that these pipes mostly hold clean fresh water.

"This time it was not the case, as this pipe just takes overflow water from the above dam."