A playful young elephant clambers on top of its friend for a jumbo-sized piggyback in adorable pictures captured in Sri Lanka.

Snapping at Kalawewa National Park in central Sri Lanka, the calf was seen climbing onto its larger friend and flashing what looked like a cheeky smile.

Photographer Pathum Bandara said: ‘Baby elephants are very playful, and whilst I was observing a heard of over 200 elephants I spotted these two messing around.

‘The little elephant looked like he was trying to steal a free ride as he rested on another! He looks so mischievous as he looked in my direction.’

Mr Bandara, 34, added: ‘To get a shot that is so clean as this, looking straight at them, is why I’m honoured to have taken the picture.’

The incredible shot shows the 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 elephant jump onto the back of his buddy for what the photographer called a ‘free ride’

The playful 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 bull leaned on his stronger, weary-looking friend for as long as he could before finally being pushed off

Other elephants around the herd didn’t appear to mind. The Sri Lanka national park is populated by hundreds of elephants

The beautiful giant mammal even leans his trunk onto the exhausted-looking friend. The trunk goes way down his body

As the 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 bull hoists himself onto the unlucky friend, it appears they don’t know what to do

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