An Elephant never forgets
I love this guy! He is just so happy! :)
|
Elephants are extremely intelligent animals. They can show joy, anger, and have even been shown to mourn their dead. They also form tight family bonds and friendships. This intelligence made them useful to us and is the reason we have such a long standing relationship with them. They have been used as machines of war and of industry. They have been trained for our entertainment in the circus and zoo, and they are one of the first animals we learn to identify as children.
Dumbo and Horton Hears a Who are fun family favorites. Anyone who has been a child has likely seen one of these more times than they can remember, but they are certainly not the first stories to incorporate these amazing creatures. Elephants have long been integrated into mythology and religion. Even today some places use trained elephants in their religious proceedings. Usually, they are seen as symbols of wisdom and strength. Today, most species are endangered and some we have already lost to extinction. The ever expanding human population and climate change has caused their habitat to shrink. Perhaps most tragic of all is the trade of ivory. Poachers are one of the largest threats to elephants. Once they have killed the elephant, they can remove the tusks and sell them for a high price. Thankfully, in many parts of the world this practice is now banned. However, no country has been able to stop it entirely. |