He's no dumbo! Clever elephant picks up selfie stick dropped by tourist and hands it back to him... capturing a dizzying 'elphie'

  • Tourist Adrian Fowler captured the incredible moment while on safari
  • He dropped his selfie stick while trying to capture a keepsake video 
  • The elephant lifted the selfie stick over its head and passed it to Adrian 

By Chris Kitching for MailOnline

Published: 03:37 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 03:43 EST, 9 July 2015

A holidaymaker who was recording a keepsake video while riding an elephant walked away with memorable footage – all because he dropped his selfie stick.

Adrian Fowler’s attempts to record the ride appeared to go awry when he dropped the device, but the elephant came to a halt and showed just how helpful it can be.

After the selfie stick and attached camera hit the ground with a thud, the elephant used its trunk to scoop it up and hand it back to the amazed South African tourist.

Adrian Fowler (middle) was riding the elephant with a safari guide and a female travel companion

Adrian Fowler (middle) was riding the elephant with a safari guide and a female travel companion

The South African holidaymaker captures a selfie of the trio on top of the animal before dropping his camera

The South African holidaymaker captures a selfie of the trio on top of the animal before dropping his camera

A short video clip shows Adrian riding the elephant with a guide and female travel companion.

But moments later the selfie stick falls out of his hand and lands in the grass.

As the clever elephant grabs the stick with its trunk, the camera captures the dizzying moment it is handed back to a smiling Adrian.

He then proceeds to continue capturing images of his safari in Victoria Falls, at the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, all thanks to his animal friend.

After falling out of Adrian Fowler's hand the selfie stick and camera hit the ground with a loud thud

After falling out of Adrian Fowler's hand the selfie stick and camera hit the ground with a loud thud

But the elephant stepped in to help, grabbing the selfie stick with its trunk and passing it back to Adrian

But the elephant stepped in to help, grabbing the selfie stick with its trunk and passing it back to Adrian

This is the dizzying moment the elephant lifted the selfie stick and camera over its head

This is the dizzying moment the elephant lifted the selfie stick and camera over its head

The term ‘elphie’ was coined last May when Canadian tourist Christian LeBlanc was feeding an elephant in Koh Phangan in Thailand.

He claims he ran out of bananas and the elephant nabbed his GoPro camera, which was on a timelapse setting, and snapped incredible selfies of the pair.

Christian, from Vancouver, said: 'It's definitely my best selfie and quite possibly the best ever.'

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