Los Angeles: Action star Arnold Schwarzenegger had a nerve-racking experience on his trip to South Africa, when he got chased by an elephant.

The 68-year-old former California governor shared a video of his close encounter the animal blocking the road in front of his group's vehicle, and then walking around the car and chasing it as it drove away.

"I couldn't have written this safari encounter better if it was a movie," Schwarzenegger captioned the video. In the short clip, the driver shuts off the engine to avoid startling the behemoth, but when he turns the car back on the elephant bellows and backs away.

"Is he backing up because of the engine?" one passenger asks.

"No, he's going to charge us," Schwarzenegger replies. Even after the horrifying experience, the "Terminator"star praised the stunning creature for its beauty and might.

"I'm absolutely in awe of these beautiful, strong animals, even though some of us had to change our pants after this. We need to stop killing them - take a photo, not a shot. Would you rather be able to experience these creatures or a hunk of ivory? I thought so," he wrote.

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