This is the incredible moment an elephant snapped an axe in half ‘like a matchstick’ with its huge feet.<br /><br />Wildlife photographer Alistair Lyne was visiting Elephant Sands Lodge, Botswana, when he spotted a five tonne giant on the lookout for some water.<br /><br />Footage then shows a lodge worker chase the elephant away with the threat of an axe to stop the colossus animal breaking water pipes.<br /><br />However, the thirsty elephant quickly returned for revenge and took the tool between its massive feet and broke it in half with ease.<br /><br />Alistair, 57, said: “When the elephant came back after being chased away he broke the axe. Once he got a proper grip he broke it easily, like a matchstick.<br /><br />“After about 10 minutes he actually picked the axe up again and made sure it was in two pieces.<br /><br />“I have never seen anything like this before. I was really surprised but at this place, elephants will break stuff to get to water and this was peak dry season.<br /><br />“They really cause havoc and trash the place but they never harm a human.<br /><br />“Elephants wreck the water supply every dry season because there are too many of them migrating and just too little water.<br /><br />“The lodge has been supplying water for the elephants since about 2000. The idea was to try to spread the elephant herds out.<br /><br />“Every year come October the elephants start to die. The rains only show end of December and last sometimes until June or July, if they're lucky.<br /><br />“Botswana is as flat as a pancake. They have pans, no dams or lakes, so the water disappears quite quickly. It is a serious challenge.<br /><br />“Despite weighing five tonnes this elephant was thin with a wrinkly dehydrated hide. He was clearly desperate for water and was returning to the trough at the lodge.”<br /><br />The footage was filmed in October last year.
