[identity profile] ombriel.livejournal.com 2008-06-07 12:21 am (UTC)(link)
Wow, that makes me a little teary-eyed. I don't even want to think about them culling the population. Instead, have you seen, this, an elephant painting a self-portrait. It's absolutely incredible.
Edited 2008-06-07 00:21 (UTC)

[identity profile] wheatland-press.livejournal.com 2008-06-07 01:18 am (UTC)(link)
Wow.

Not to cheapen this topic with crass materialism, but I was walking through the mall the other day and I saw this:
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p10753/index.cfm?pkey=cprwplwstr
in the window of Pottery Barn.

[identity profile] haddayr.livejournal.com 2008-06-07 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, ouch ouch ouch.

[identity profile] snurri.livejournal.com 2008-06-07 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I have seen that; the only caveat I'd give is that, while lots of elephants have shown enthusiasm and talent for abstract painting (or for music), it appears that these trainers have taught them to paint elephants and flowers and such by guiding their trunks. Still, even the fact that they remember the movements the way they do is impressive.

[identity profile] snurri.livejournal.com 2008-06-07 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I really need to redecorate my place in Elephant Country.

[identity profile] snurri.livejournal.com 2008-06-07 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes. Ouch and awww and oh no, all at once.

[identity profile] ombriel.livejournal.com 2008-06-07 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Ahhhh, okay--they are trained to do that. That is indeed quite different from an elephant spontaneously drawing images of herself. But yeah, I agree--it still speaks to a great intelligence, or something, that they are able to remember how to do it.