Rare elephant birth captured on camera

The extraordinary moment an elephant gave birth in the wild has been captured on camera by a couple on honeymoon.

The thrilling amateur footage was recorded by newlyweds Debbie and Jon Smith at Ulusaba private game reserve in the Kruger national park in South Africa.

Elephants are secretive about giving birth in the wild and witnessing such an extraordinary event is rare even for conservationists.

But just a few feet away from a herd of elephants in their Land Rover, Debbie and Jon managed to capture the "amazing experience" on camera.

Tim Jackson from the Tusk Trust described the sight as "very rare". He added: "Normally elephants hide in the bush quietly. This is an extremely rare occurrence."

"I was very moved, very touched when I first saw the footage. Normally you would never see this."

On the video, one of the females in the herd can be seen acting strangely while the others gathered around her for protection.

Moving her legs, a calf could be seen protruding before gently falling to the floor.

The bewildered calf is coerced to stand up almost immediately - which is essential for the animal's survival - before the herd moved off into the bush.

Debbie and Jon have posted the video of their "amazing experience" online at http://www.debbieandjon.com/ElephantBirth.htm where they invite elephant fans to donate to the Tusk Trust.

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