Six tourists are injured when rhinos charge their car in India: Vehicle overturns and rolls into a ditch when safari guide tries to reverse away from the enraged beasts
- Rhinos were filmed storming at vehicle in Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal
- Six injured people were reportedly treated at Madarihat health centre
This is the moment six tourists were injured when their safari car rolled over into a ditch as their guide desperately tried to reverse away from two enraged rhinos.
Footage shows the two beasts emerging from vegetation by the side of the road in India’s Jaldapara National Park in West Bengal as visitors were taking pictures from the back of the vehicle.
But their guide immediately hit the accelerator, reversing at speed as the animals charged down the road towards them.
Panicked tourists could be heard screaming before the jeep veered off the road and toppled over onto its roof with passengers trapped underneath.
The two angry rhinos could then be seen running past the crumpled vehicle.
Tourists first appeared to be leaning out of the jeep videoing something in the bushes
It is said that six people were injured during the incident and had been treated at the Madarihat health centre, according to News 18.
Following the incident, Akash Deep Badhawan, an Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer tweeted that more safety measures are needed in the country’s safaris.
He said: ‘I think it’s about time guidelines for safety and rescue in adventure sports are implemented in wildlife safaris across the country. Safaris are becoming more of adventure sports now! Jaldapara today!’
Twitter was also flooded with comments from others about the startling video.
One user wrote: ‘Why do we have unsafe open vehicles instead of covered vehicles for our safaris?’
Another added: ‘New fear unlocked successfully.’
Jaldapara is a tropical grassland national park set in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas.
It is said to be one of the largest homes for critically endangered Great One-horned Rhinoceros, in addition to a range of other animals such as Asian elephants.
Footage shows the two beasts emerging from vegetation by the side of the road
The jeep backs away while a motorbike and another vehicle begin to drive away too
The panicked tourists scream and yell before a jeep overturns and rolls into a ditch
Reportedly six people were injured and had been treated at the Madarihat health centre