Elephants are the largest land-based creatures to be found on planet Earth. Although most creatures that are large aren’t necessarily associated with intelligence, these creatures defy the norm.
The Use of Tools
In 2010, an elephant named Kandula stacked a few items on top of each other and stood on them to reach food that was deliberately placed out of reach. Elephants in the wild were also observed digging holes in the ground to access water and then plugging them to prevent water from evaporating.
Displays of Empathy
Elephants are known to support one another during times of stress or emotional turmoil. They do so with the use of vocalisations as well as by kinaesthetic gestures such as stroking one another with their trunks.
They Can Differentiate Languages
During a research project, a group of African elephants was exposed to two audio tracks; one was a recording of speech from a Maasai tribe member, while the other was of a Kamba tribesman. The elephants immediately went into defensive mode when hearing the Maasai dialogue since they are known to kill elephants.
They Can Copy Human Speech
In 2012, a Korean researcher showcased an elephant named Koshik that can mimic human speech. Perhaps next time you visit a place such as Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, one of the unique Chiang Rai hotels, you might run into a talking elephant!
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+
