This is the terrifying moment an angry female elephant charged a photographer as he took pictures from an open safari jeep.

Jagdeep Rajput was travelling through the Corbett National Park in India in an open safari jeep when he came within feet of a female Asian elephant who saw him and decided to charge.

Accompanied by her calf, the elephant and her previously peaceful herd began thundering down the track towards him.

This is the terrifying sight that confronted photographer Jagdeep Rajput when an Asian elephant, accompanied by her calf, charged him in India’s Corbett National Park

Wildlife photographer Mr Rajput, 52, who lives in Delhi, said: ‘The charge was extremely loud and violent – she obviously didn’t want any human beings around.’

His driver, whom he said was experienced in the ways of the local elephants, put his foot down and got them away safely, but not before Mr Rajput, who has won several photography awards, got this stunning image.

Mr Rajput, who has studied and photographed elephants for more than 20 years, said the elephant’s behaviour was out of character.

‘This particular place is normally frequented with both visitors and animals, and the elephants are usually very sociable and quite used to people being around them,’ he said.

Female adult Asian elephants and their calves tend to move about together in groups of up to 15, and for most of the year they are timid and unwilling to attack.

However, rogue elephants, particularly those with calves, sometimes make unprovoked attacks on passers-by, taking up position near a road and making it impassable to travellers.

Shaken but not stirred: Jagdeep Rajput, 52, has spent 22 years studying and photographing elephants, but said the female charging him was out of character