Wait, what is this elephant doing?

A COUPLE got a lot more than they bargained for when they stumbled across this elephant and tried to grab a selfie with it.

Elephant Steals Bag From Car

A COUPLE got more than they bargained for when trying to grab a selfie with an elephant — after it reached into their car and stole a handbag.

The cheeky elephant quickly devoured the contents — including fruit, debit cards and cash — leaving the tourist’s other possessions on the road in Bandipur National Park, India.

Eye-witnesses said the couple had been travelling along the scenic jungle road in the Indian state of Karnataka towards Oozy when they stumbled across the elephant and her calf.

***ONE TIME WEB USE ONLY*** ***PLEASE CONTACT NETWORK PIC DESK FOR PRINT USE*** Must Credit Caters/Picture Media PIC BY AUSTIN CHERUPUZHA / CATERS NEWS - (Pictured: Elephant eating the bag) A family got more than they bargained for when trying to grab a selfie with an elephant - after it reached into their car and stole a handbag. The cheeky pachyderm quickly devoured the contents - including debit cards and cash - leaving a heap of the tourists possessions on the floor in Bandipur National Park, India. Eye-witnesses said the elephant had first charged the tourists car after becoming rilled by the shutter sound, and was protecting her calf. The unique sequence of images were captured by wildlife photographer Austin Cherupuzha.

But after stopping to try and take a selfie with the two elephants in the background, the mother charged the car after becoming alarmed at the camera flash.

Kerela based wildlife photographer Austin Cherupuzha watched the events unfold and captured a sequence of pictures.

***ONE TIME WEB USE ONLY*** ***PLEASE CONTACT NETWORK PIC DESK FOR PRINT USE*** Must Credit Caters/Picture Media PIC BY AUSTIN CHERUPUZHA / CATERS NEWS - (Pictured: Elephant eating the bag) A family got more than they bargained for when trying to grab a selfie with an elephant - after it reached into their car and stole a handbag. The cheeky pachyderm quickly devoured the contents - including debit cards and cash - leaving a heap of the tourists possessions on the floor in Bandipur National Park, India. Eye-witnesses said the elephant had first charged the tourists car after becoming rilled by the shutter sound, and was protecting her calf. The unique sequence of images were captured by wildlife photographer Austin Cherupuzha.

“I was on assignment to Bandipur and it was then that I noticed this strange incident,” Cherupuzha told the Bangalore Mirror. “On spotting the elephant and its calf, the family parked their car on the roadside and stepped out of the vehicle.

“They began clicking pictures. It may have been the camera flash which disturbed the elephant, and it charged at them.

“The couple managed to escape. The car’s windows were open. It was then the bizarre thing happened.

***ONE TIME WEB USE ONLY*** ***PLEASE CONTACT NETWORK PIC DESK FOR PRINT USE*** Must Credit Caters/Picture Media *STORY AND ASSOCIATED PHOTOS/VIDEO STRICTLY UK USE ONLY* PIC BY AUSTIN CHERUPUZHA / CATERS NEWS - (Pictured: Close up of bag in Elephants mouth.) A couple got more than they bargained for when trying to grab a selfie with an elephant - after it reached into their car and stole a handbag. The cheeky pachyderm quickly devoured the contents - including fruit, debit cards and cash - leaving a heap of the tourists possessions on the road in Bandipur National Park, India. Eye-witnesses said the couple had been travelling along the scenic jungle road in the Indian state of Karnataka towards Oozy when they stumbled across the elephant and her calf. But after stopping to try and take a selfie with the two pachyderms in the background, the mother charged the tourists car after becoming rilled by the flash. SEE CATERS COPY.

“The elephant took a bag — supposedly made of leather — from the car, devoured it and then left.”

The strange incident is not thought to be the first, with the Conservator of Forests at Bandipur National Park, H C Kantharaj, suggesting the problem of people taking selfies with wild animals is proving difficult to stop.

He said: “Travellers clicking pictures is turning out to be a big headache.

“While allowing people to pass through our gates, the guards repeatedly tell people not to stop midway to take photographs.

“In fact, we have put up boards all along, warning people to pay heed to our warnings. Stern action will be taken against culprits.”