After tolerating an annoying tourist until he goes too far, this elephant makes a statement while restraining itself from an all-out attack.
elephants
All posts tagged elephants
After three month old elephant Lola passed away during preparations for a medical procedure to fix a heart defect, members of her herd at the zoo somberly came and paid respects before walking away.
Bella the dog and Tara the elephant, residents at an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee, maintained a close friendship for almost ten years. The two were inseparable. Unfortunately, last week Bella was attacked and killed by coyotes. Sanctuary workers found her body not where the attack occurred, but near the offices where the dog had previously been treated for an injury (and where Tara had held vigil waiting while her friend had healed). After the current, fatal attack, the elephant was found with blood on her trunk in a position that suggested she had carried her canine friend back to the sanctuary center.
Tara is currently displaying signs of grief and mourning, but the other elephants appear to be watching out for her – spending more time with her and sharing their own food with their grieving peer.
When a baby elephant encounters some passing safari-goers, it runs back and forth alternating between caution and curious abandon.
Happy the elephant has joined the ranks of animals that can be proclaimed self aware, entering a group previously thought to be exclusive to humans and select other primates. She passed the test with flying colors: when researchers placed a white X on her forehead and later brought her in front of a mirror, upon seeing her reflection she immediately touched her own head with her trunk rather than reaching for the reflection of the elephant in the mirror.
[PNAS via Live Science]
In a recent study, elephants were found to be able to figure out how to cooperatively solve problems, and in one case even improvised a solution that the experimenters hadn’t anticipated.
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences via PhysOrg and NewScientist]
When orphaned elephant Jabulani ended up at an animal sanctuary, he reacted fearfully towards everyone at the center, until he met Skaap the sheep. Since they met, the two have become inseparable, and Jabulani has become much calmer towards the humans working with him.
A herd of elephants reacts to finding the bones of a peer.
Tara the elephant and Bella the dog have spent all their time together for years. Tara uses a gentle touch with her canine friend (even when she pats the dog’s stomach with her foot!), and when the dog was hurt and spent three weeks in the infirmary, Tara held vigil outside at the fence night and day.
Via [The Thoughtful Animal]
This elephant uses what is available to help scratch an otherwise unreachable itch.
