I spent like an hour reading about Elephants for no reason

[curimuch]

They are officially my favorite animal now.


Ruby, an Asian elephant at Phoenix Zoo would often eavesdrop on conversations keepers would have talking about her. When she heard the word paint, she became very excitable. The colours she favoured were green, yellow, blue and red. On one particular day, there was a fire truck that came and parked outside her enclosure where a man had just had a heart attack. The lights on the truck were flashing red, white and yellow. When Ruby painted later on in the day, she chose those colours. She also showed a preference for particular colours that the keepers wore.

Her painting career began when her keepers saw her scratching in the dirt of her enclosure with a stick, and offered her a brush and paints.

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Comments

[littlelinor]

YES YES YES ELEPHANTS 8D

[curimuch]

I LOVE THEM NOW ): I REALIZED HOW I GOT HERE. I saw a photo of a child elephant and it's mother and then wikipedia'd them and rolled from there fff

[kuruk]

Elephants have always been my favorite animal. Of the land variety and otherwise. ^.^

[curimuch]

I'm amazed at how I paid no mind to them until now. Reading about Elephants as individuals (Such as Ruby) made the enlightenment all the richer. (But her story got sad in the end ): )

There was also mention of training elephants to put logs into holes but one wouldn't do it until their trainer took a sleeping dog out of it.

Or how one Elephant guarded an injured person until frightened by another human's gun.

They are so sweet ;_;

[kuruk]

They feel so acutely - I think that's what gets me about them. Baby elephants that lose their mothers they fall into a deep depression, and family units actually mourn their dead. Their empathy is beautiful in a tragic way, especially when the herds pass elephant bones years later and still pause to touch them. It's just... they're majestic (and matriarchal, which is always intriguing to me).

[curimuch]

That's what captured my attention too. I also like their interaction with other Elephants as well as with other species. They always want to help out, and they're usually so gentle and kind I find it amazing. Elephants that were best friends in a way spend even more time with the fallen when the others start to leave. (They move slower to let that last elephant mourn more.)

And if the elephant is injured they literally try to pick that fallen one up and give it leaves and water.

I like the idea of Allmothering between the Elephants too.

[mcalhen]

Elephants are amazing. I'd read that they have a huge sense of community with each other (not just grouped together, but I'm not sure how to word that), mourn losses, and remember things quite well. They're really amazing creatures.

[curimuch]

They really do! They have the best allmothering around. They even commute with nonfamily members very kindly.