Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn’t muster a memorable line when a long-tusked elephant began charging the safari jeep he was riding in recently in South Africa. No “back to the choppah” or “Hasta la vista, baby!”
His Tuesday posting of a video of the encounter — being chased by the beast along a narrow road — has nearly a half-million views on the Governator’s YouTube channel alone
“I couldn’t have written this safari encounter better if it was a movie,” the action star said on Facebook. “I’m absolutely in awe of these beautiful, strong animals, even though some of us had to change our pants after this. We need to stop killing them — take a photo, not a shot. Would you rather be able to experience these creatures or a hunk of ivory? I thought so.”
“When the clip begins, Schwarzenegger is filming an elephant standing in the middle of the road from inside a parked safari vehicle. The elephant then approaches the vehicle and taps his tusk against the car, which prompts the safari guide to start the engine. When the elephant starts backing up, a woman can be heard asking, ‘Is he backing up because of the engine? Schwarzenegger then replies cooly, ‘No, he’s going to charge us.'”
Schwarzenegger been posting about his visit on Instagram while promoting the Arnold Sports Festival in various locales around the world. Later, he’ll be seen on “The New Celebrity Apprentice,” replacing an elephant of a different stripe.
I couldn’t have written this encounter better if it was for a movie. Some of us had to change our pants. Take a photo, not a shot.
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 31, 2016
I’m absolutely in awe of these beautiful animals, and I wish people would stop killing them for their ivory. pic.twitter.com/FYtO94aXU6
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) May 31, 2016