'Hercules' the Elephant Fends Off 14 Hungry Lions

One young elephant in Zambia has since been nicknamed "Hercules" after fearlessly fending off 14 hungry lions, proving that these mammals do indeed have thick skin.

The dramatic incident was captured on video when journalist Jesse Nash and a group of companions embarked on a game drive through Norman Carr Safaris' Chinzombo Camp in Zambia. Nash, along with Long Island University Art Professor Dan Christoffel, Naturalist Steve Baker and Australian TV personality Nina Karnikowski, got more than he bargained for when they stumbled upon a 1-year-old elephant and a pride of 14 hungry lionesses.

"In the 30-plus years that I have been a safari guide in Zambia at the Luangwe Park, never have I seen anything like this," a safari guide named Innocent, who was with the group, told the New York Post.

[You can watch the full video HERE.]

After straying from its mother, the brave baby pachyderm managed to survive despite the unfavorable odds. Though, the situation seemed dire for the lone elephant, especially when it had two big cats on its back at one point and another grabbing onto one of its back legs.

"Where are the other elephants, for God's sake?" one worried voice can be heard shouting in the video.

"We were all so worried the baby elephant would be killed right before us," Innocent told Norman Carr Safaris.

Incredibly, the young mammal proved victorious using a clever strategy, using the nearby water and false-charging the female lions to keep them at bay. The incident earned him the heroic nickname "Hercules."

"We've named the little fella Hercules. What a fighter," Innocent added.

According to the Post, the imperiled elephant has since been reunited with its herd, living to fight another day.

This is not the only recent David and Goliath story among the animal kingdom. Earlier this month Nature World News reported of a prickly porcupine, though significantly smaller than even a baby elephant, that successfully defended itself against a pride of a whopping 17 lions.