In Case You Were Wondering Why I Love Elephants So

[snurri]

This article does a pretty good job of summarizing it:

On they came, until they began to assemble around the bloody remains of the baby elephant, some stamping their feet and snorting in the direction of the lion family they knew still to be near. But most would lightly touch and sniff the body with their trunks and then move to a respectable distance, standing in silent groups. . . . Still more elephants arrived until there were at least 100 in all, the latecomers filtering their way to the body, seemingly paying their respects, then moving to the rear of the congregation.

Comments

[ombriel.livejournal.com]

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.

[wheatland-press.livejournal.com]

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.

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

Oh, ouch ouch ouch.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

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.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I really need to redecorate my place in Elephant Country.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Yes. Ouch and awww and oh no, all at once.

[ombriel.livejournal.com]

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.