Today’s award goes to an inebriated Indian gentleman (?).
Saying an endearing ‘hello brother’ to an elephant nearly cost Mandiram, 40, his life. The pachyderm did not take kindly to his greeting and flung the man a few yards away. The man escaped with minor injuries to his leg.
. . .
Eye witnesses say that the man suddenly appeared in front of the elephant in an inebriated state and saluted it. He had then shouted to passersby that lord Ganesha had come to see them. The mahout told him to stop harassing the animal, but Mandiram, perhaps emboldened by the liquor he had consumed, clung to the elephant’s trunk and said, `Hello brother, how are you?’
The animal, apparently agitated, lifted him with its trunk and flung him at an autorickshaw standing nearby where he fell to the ground. The animal then ran after him and attempted to trample him and prevent him from getting up. The mahout swung into action and brought the animal under control.
There’s more at the link.
Definitely some very effective non-verbal communication there. It should have been verbal, though. I mean, after all, a trunk call was involved . . .
Peter
Could be the alcohol.
I worked in bush camps in northern Ontario when they still skidded logs with horses.
One guy got drunk one night and went to his horse in the stable, with boozy breath.
Horse kicked and broke his leg.
Everyone knows only PINK elephants like to be embraced and spoken to like that.