A playful elephant made its way into a game lodge to take a sip from the swimming pool, and ended up brushing against a game ranger who was capturing the extraordinary moment on film.

The majestic creature got so close that its tusk brushed the ranger’s shoulder, offering a striking close-up of its wrinkled grey skin.

Wildlife manager Eugene Troskie, 34, had just settled on the lodge’s decking in South Africa when a herd of elephants arrived. The young male, around 20 years old, had taken a big gulp from the pool with its trunk when Mr. Troskie grabbed his phone to record the memorable encounter.

A juvenile elephant wandered into a game lodge in South Africa for a refreshing drink, while wildlife manager Eugene Troskie captured the incredibɩe moment on camera.

As Mr. Troskie rested against a tree with juicy new shoots at Lion Place Lodge in the Grietjie Private Game Reserve within Kruger National Park, a 20-year-old elephant made its way toward him. To his surprise, the elephant seemed focused on feeding on the fresh shoots and didn’t appear to notice Mr. Troskie at first.

Remaining calm and still to avoid startɩing the animal, Mr. Troskie was taken aback when the elephant’s trunk reached up to graze the tree and its right tusk brushed against his shoulder.

Before heading straight for the ranger, the elephant munched on some nearby vegetation for a while.

The elephant then spots the shoots near Mr. Troskie and heads over to munch on them. As the ranger stays perfectly still, the elephant comes so close that its right tusk brushes against his shoulder.

Eugene Troskie commented, “I believe the elephant thought I was part of the deck and was surprised when I moved. There was no sign of aggression, even when he realized I was a human.”

“As I adjusted my phone to get a better shot, the elephant noticed I wasn’t part of the surroundings, got startled, and shyly stepped back.”

“It was an extraordinary experience to have a wiɩd elephant, unaware of my presence, rest its tusk on me. I felt completely safe. With my ten years of experience as a game ranger, I can gauge an animal’s mood, and this one was entirely relaxed. I was happy to let him come close and say hello.”

“I wouldn’t let a guest have such a close encounter due to unpredictabɩe reactions, but this was a special moment just between me and the elephant.”

The herd of 25 elephants frequently visits the waterhole near the camp and sometimes drinks directly from the pool, delighting the camp guests.

Lion Place Lodge, located near Phalaborwa in Limpopo Province, spans 2,800 hectares of prime savannah and is home to the Big Five: elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhinoceros.

Mr. Troskie, a married father-of-one, explained, “If you approach elephants at their waterhole, they see you as a threat. However, when they enter a lodge, everything has the scent of humans, so they’re less surprised by our presence.”

He added, “I have a great photo of three elephants lined up, sipping from the pool with their trunks, enjoying a refreshing drink.”

“Elephants coming into the lodge know they are in our space, which is very different from approaching them in their own territory. They might perceive you as a threat at their waterhole, but in the lodge, they’re accustomed to human smells.”

He continued, “I think the elephant mistook me for part of the deck and was surprised when I moved. Despite this, he showed no aggression when he realized I was human.”

African elephants can reach up to 13 feet in height at the shoulder and weigh up to 12,000 pounds.

Mr. Troskie also captured this photo of three tuskers enjoying a lekker [‘delicious’] drink of water at his lodge.