

Who says elephants don’t have thick skin?

After straying from his mother, a 1-year-old elephant survived a vicious attack by 14 lions at the Norman Carr Safaris Chinzombo Camp in Zambia. Clearly outnumbered, the baby elephant managed to get away unscathed despite having three of the lionesses on his back at one point.

The dramatic incident was captured on video when journalist Jesse Nash, Long Island University Art Professor Dan Christoffel, Naturalist Steve Baker and Australian TV personality Nina Karnikowski embarked on a game drive through the safari, stumbling upon the site.

“In the 30-plus years I have been a safari guide in Zambia at the Luangwe Park, never have I seen anything like this,” said Innocent, a top safari guide who works with Norman Carr Safaris and drove the group to the site. “We were all so worried the baby elephant would be killed right before us.”

The baby elephant has since reunited with his herd and now bears a heroic new nickname.

“We’ve named the little fella Hercules. What a fighter.”