Dramatic footage has emerged from Zambia of a herd of wild elephants charging a group of vets who were operating on an injured lioness.

The clip, filmed in November 2017, shows the medics from Zambia Carnivore Programme operating on a sedated lioness which had caught her leg in a poacher's snare.

“After the lioness had been tranquillised, an armed soldier guarded the team as a companion lioness was nearby," said the filmer.

"Suddenly a small herd of elephants appeared. We were probably in their path and they proceeded to charge," the filmer added.

"The soldier fired warning shots, probably unnecessarily,” the filmer concluded.

A lioness had caught her rear leg in a poaching snare. It was injured so badly part of the leg needed to be amputated by a veterinary team from the Zambia Carnivore Project. After the lioness had been tranquillised an armed soldier guarded the team as a companion lioness was nearby. Suddenly a small herd of elephants appeared. We were probably in their path and they proceeded to charge. The soldier fired warning shots, probably unnecessarily.