COIMBATORE: In an unusual incident, a wild elephant that ventured out of the forest area was apparently ‘taken aback’ following a chance encounter with the painted image of elephants on a concrete wall in Mudumalai.

In a video being circulated on social media, the wild elephant was spotted crossing the Masinagudi-Mudumalai Road near Ooty to enter the other side of the forest area, when it came across the image of elephants drawn on a concrete wall kept to sensitize tourists with awareness messages.

For a second, the elephant apparently got confused while assuming that the painting was of original animals. It also took a few steps back to express its shock. It then felt the painting by its trunk to discover that it was just a painting of its own self. The elephant then retreated into the forest area,” said a staff member of the forest department.

Meanwhile, tourists who were passing through the way were thrilled to watch the rare sight of an elephant and its unusual gestures.