Arnold Schwarzenegger has close encounter with an elephant on safari

Like something out of one his own action movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger had a close encounter with an elephant on a safari recently.

SHARE THIS —

An elephant doing its best impression of Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Running Man" had even the Terminator himself a little scared after a close encounter on a safari.

Schwarzenegger posted an Instagram video on Tuesday showing an up-close meeting with an elephant that nearly turned into a scene seemingly out of one of his movies. The action ratcheted up a notch when the animal started running after Schwarzenegger's jeep.

"I couldn't have written this safari encounter better if it was a movie,'' Schwarzenegger wrote. "I'm absolutely in awe of these beautiful, strong animals, even though some of us had to change our pants after this."

RELATED: Arnold Schwarzenegger writes touching letter to ailing 'Terminator' fan

The former California governor has become passionate about the cause of protecting elephants against poachers. In November 2015, he appeared in a Wildlife Conservation Society video in which he detonates an ivory tusk after saying, "Let's rid of this demand once and for all."

RELATED: Arnold Schwarzenegger gives motivational advice to struggling gym-goer

"We need to stop killing them — take a photo, not a shot,'' he wrote in his latest Instagram post. "Would you rather be able to experience these creatures or a hunk of ivory? I thought so."

Follow TODAY.com writer Scott Stump on Twitter.