This is the heartwarming moment a protective mother elephant defended her calf by fending off a crocodile in India.

Dramatic footage captures the baby elephant playing in a small pond with its mum in the heart of the forest.

Suddenly, a croc emerges from the murky depths, attempting to attack the little tusker.

The alert parent immediately sprang into action, hiding her calf beneath her large belly, ensuring it stayed unharmed.

She then stomped on the reptile, forcing the unwelcome predator to retreat, avoiding any potential danger just in time.

Elephants in India are deeply intertwined with the country's culture, religion, and ecology. The Indian elephant, a subspecies of the Asian elephant, is found in forests across the country, particularly in states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and West Bengal.

They play a significant role in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, often symbolising wisdom and strength, with Lord Ganesha being the most famous elephant deity in the Hindu pantheon.

India has two main crocodile species - the saltwater crocodile and the mugger crocodile, which inhabits freshwater rivers.