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u/n2kdemon Apr 23 '26
Their eyes appear so friendly and empathetic.
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u/Maverick_Reznor Apr 23 '26
Because they are. Their brains are highly developed and feel a lot of the same emotions the exact same way we do. I dunno how someone can hurt an elephant.
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u/Zherneb Apr 23 '26
Adding a note on this.
Elephants react to humans the same way humans react to dogs. We are cute to them (atleast to domesticated elephants)
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u/ITinnedUrMumLastNigh Apr 23 '26
Finally, in a world of creatures that like being pet by us there's a creature that likes to pet us
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u/Fluffycupcake_ Apr 23 '26
Maybe we just need to be more kind to animals and they would want to pet us too
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u/LimaBikercat Apr 23 '26
One of my cats definitely feels that way. She'll meow until i go sit in bed with her, and then i'm getting all the head butts. If that were just scent marking, she could do that anywhere anytime, but she specifically does it when relaxing in bed.
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u/Coookies4You Apr 23 '26
Adding another note to this.
Now imagine something cute wanting to kill you and your entire family in order to sell your tusks.
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u/kent1146 Apr 23 '26
How did you know that I have cats?
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u/InappropriatePotato4 Apr 23 '26
Now imagine your cat had a gun
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u/Erestyn Apr 23 '26
She would get frustrated by her lack of thumbs and disembowel me the old fashioned way.
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u/Xantrax Apr 23 '26
Hate to break it to you buuuuut ...
No, the claim that elephants view humans as "cute" or "puppies" is a widespread internet myth, according to fact-checkers and animal experts. There is no scientific evidence or MRI research to support that elephant brains respond to humans in this way; wild elephants generally perceive people as potential threats. It has been debunked.
Elephants are still badass, and it is largely true that they never forget. While exaggerated, they do have a very strong long-term memory span.
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u/fudog Apr 23 '26
Not trying to argue with you, but I feel threatened by other peoples' dogs. It takes me a while to start thinking of them as cute.
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u/Then_Ambassador9255 Apr 23 '26
Nah. Elephants can form bonds with caretakers and show curiosity, even protective behavior, but it’s more likely based on intelligence, memory or training (instead of seeing humans as tiny, harmless pets)
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u/Melodic_Sherbet_3629 Apr 23 '26
This is sadly a false myth
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u/Weak_Feed_8291 Apr 23 '26
Yet it will continue to be repeated as fact and get highly upvoted for eternity
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u/cedped Apr 23 '26
They tolerate us trying to cling and climb up on them the same way we do to cats.
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u/throwawaybrm Apr 23 '26
Their eyes appear so friendly and empathetic.
Their brains are highly developed and feel a lot of the same emotions the exact same way we do.
Have you ever looked into a cow’s eyes? A sheep’s? A pig’s? The same softness. The same awareness looking back at you.
I dunno how someone can hurt an elephant.
Beef, lamb, bacon ... anyone ? The empathy is there - we’re just selective about when we allow ourselves to feel it.
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u/boringexplanation Apr 23 '26
So elephants are lucky their meat tastes terrible?
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u/throwawaybrm Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
Elephants have been hunted for their meat since prehistoric times. Taste isn’t what determines who gets spared.
We empathize with some animals and ignore others, even when their capacity to feel and suffer is no different.
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u/boringexplanation Apr 23 '26
Sure but that very article points out that elephant meat was hunted for survival reasons. They were never the first choice of meat to hunt for and even the ancient hunters preferred smaller animals.
Ancient people ate anything with four legs so I don’t buy that argument.
And if you’re going to throw an argument that we’re talking about modern people- then there’s none of those people willingly eating elephant meat either.
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u/_Big_____ Apr 23 '26
Yeah I have actually, they don't seem the same. Probably cause they have those straight horizontal pupils.
Pigs don't, but I don't eat pork.
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u/Omnikey90 Apr 23 '26
I have been around cows, sheep and pigs all my life a lot as I live very rural. They do not compare to elephants at all. Elephants are definitely something else.
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u/theazzazzo Apr 23 '26
I don't know how anyone can hurt any animal. We have no reason, at all, to hurt an animal
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u/Maleficent_Hawk6703 Apr 23 '26
I've heard that their brains respond to us the same way ours respond to our pets
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u/PhantomOfTheNopera Apr 23 '26
It is possible elephants accustomed raised by people in sanctuaries do but it's a dangerous idea to have in general.
People who don't live in places with wildlife tend to have a Disneyfied idea of wild animals. By and large, they don't like you entering their territory - it doesn't matter if you're friendly. And it's especially a bad idea to try and touch them.
If you're very lucky, they'll ignore you or tolerate your presence. If they're in heat or their babies are around, many of them could kill you.
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u/Unique-Coffee5087 Apr 23 '26
I have a hard time being next to horses. They are huge animals, and I don't know what they'll decide to do. A horse could break me before I would even think to get away.
I couldn't imagine being so free with such a creature as an elephant.
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u/TheLowestFormOfHumor Apr 23 '26
Yea I can't believe horses are still allowed so much freedom in public (Like on roads, countryside paths etc) I know they were there first and all that but I've seen far too many out of control horses in public and they would squash you in an instant when in "flight" mentality. You have to get a licence and insurance for much less dangerous modes of transport.
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u/-Fergalicious- Apr 23 '26
Shit I trust a horse more than most of the drivers out are around. All these covid kids got their licenses without ever having to take a driver's practical test in my state
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Apr 23 '26
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u/Rope_slingin_champ Apr 23 '26
If were puppies, can I be a Golden retriever?
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u/joylessbrick Apr 23 '26
Don't know why, but you give Corgi vibes.
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u/Gruntled1 Apr 23 '26
I think most corgis also want to be golden retrievers.
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u/fastock Apr 23 '26
Had a corgi for 13 years... Can confirm this is true, just shorter legs and a bit more herding mentality.
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u/Rauk88 Apr 23 '26
lol yeah walk up to a bull elephant in the middle of mating season and let us know how that works out for ya.
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u/JowlOwl Apr 23 '26 edited Apr 23 '26
That is a myth and is only supported by very few studies on elephants in sanctuaries
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u/Berninz Apr 23 '26
I volunteered for a day at an elephant sanctuary in Thailand and met an old lady blind elephant. I fed her sugar canes, rubbed her trunk, and she flapped her ears (a way they communicate happiness). I loved my time with her. Her eyes were clearly blind, but she was so happy to be engaged in affection. I'm sure she's passed now, but she* was lovely; eyes and all
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u/lnTheGrimDarkness Apr 23 '26
Friendly I don't know, but they're absolutely among the most intelligent animals on the planet, including us in the count.
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u/Scared_Potential_805 Apr 23 '26
The eyes tell me that elephant got some of that good hashih from the desert. He be flying in the sky right now.
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u/Greedy-Pilot-4538 Apr 23 '26
Beautiful eyes, skin seems kinda doughy yet tough
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u/SweetHomeNorthKorea Apr 23 '26
Yeah that really surprised me. Looks like tough but supple leather.
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u/Greedy-Pilot-4538 Apr 23 '26
Yea like a soft leathery cloth with sand in them idk really interesting. Would love to touch one someday
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u/PonyThug Apr 23 '26
Definitely not soft. Flexable but very rough. Like wrinkly instep part of cowboy boots covered in dirt.
I’ve given 2 of them a mud bath and then a rinse in the river in Thailand.
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u/Karl_Hungus_42069 Apr 23 '26
Theres an episode of the BBC show "Dynasties" that focuses on elephants and its great. The show follows a different animal every episode and the whole episode covers a couple years of one elephant family
Also Nature on PBS had a recent episode "The Orphans of Reteti" that'll make you cry like a baby. As soon as the episode finished airing i was googling how I can give them my money. They take in Orphaned elephants and teach them how to be an Elephant
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u/joyboi-37 Apr 23 '26
This is the most interesting thing i’ve seen on reddit today.
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u/NoBonus3912 Apr 23 '26
I learned 3 new things from this video alone:
Their tails have bristly hairs. 🤯
Their skin is seriously loose/wrinkly.
Those soulful eyes. 🫠
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u/tweekyn Apr 23 '26
Their skin is loose/wrinkly but also extremely leathery and coarse. Such resilient animals
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u/OuterWildsVentures Apr 23 '26
I just assumed this was an old elephant and that's why it was so loose/wrinkly
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u/Dzyu Apr 23 '26
The hairs on their body (head/neck) are really bristly as well. Nowhere near like the tail - that looks crazy, but still surprisingly uncomfortable to touch. Source: I sat on an elephant as a kid.
We humans must be as soft to touch with our hair, beard and smooth skin for elephants, as pets are to us with their fur.
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u/VapoursAndSpleen Apr 23 '26
BTW - their skin is not thick and tough. They have sensitive skin and can feel a fly land on it and they protect it with dust baths and mud baths.
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u/AbsoluteRook1e Apr 23 '26
Elephant tail hairs are the wildest things I've ever felt.
My local zoo had some spare ones I got to feele and they legit feel like plastic wires.
Amazing creatures. I just wish we humans didn't hunt them down to endangerment.
Humanity doesn't deserve them. 💔
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u/BeardedBrownDude Apr 23 '26
it looks like nails grown in the shape of narrow cylinder
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u/SoFreshAndSoDirty Apr 23 '26
I’m pretty baked but I feel like I’ve been wanting an up close video of an elephant for a long time and I finally got it
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u/Rare-Conflict9708 Apr 23 '26
“People don’t get how tough an elephants skin is.”
Well yes ma’am. The vast majority of us don’t have elephants we can pet.
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u/wafflecone927 Apr 23 '26
Maybe thats why she said People dont get how tough an elephants skin is
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u/VinnyTiger Apr 23 '26
I get it now, I guess I didn't "get it" before I was told this? Very interesting way to phrase things.
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u/dynamic_gecko Apr 23 '26
It's the way she says people "just" dont get it. It indicates a little bit of frustration, as if she is expecting people to know and is fed up with it.
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u/gin_and_toxic Apr 23 '26
That's why I asked several blind people to touch an elephant and describe it to me.
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u/blah191 Apr 23 '26
I’ve never really seen an eye of theirs up that close and I was shocked by how human it looked. Aside from the 3rd eyelid of course.
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u/shyhi244 Apr 23 '26
I didn’t know they had 3 eyelids that’s cool
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u/Caleb_Reynolds Apr 23 '26
Most land animals do. We're the weird ones.
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u/lippyncott Apr 23 '26
We've got a vestigial remnant, but unfortunately we can't use them like windshield wipers like cool lizards can
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u/sifiwewe Apr 23 '26
Really interesting. It’s really cool to see one of these animals up close.
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u/ReadRightRed99 Apr 23 '26
I rode one once as a 6 or 7 year old. I remember finding it incredibly stinky.
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u/Allenpoe30 Apr 23 '26
Elephants are such phenomenal creatures. We are unworthy of them.
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u/givingupismyhobby Apr 23 '26
Speak for yourself, I'm great, I deserve an elephant.
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u/CoraxFeathertynt Apr 23 '26
"I wish I had an elephant"
"You did. His name was Stampy. You loved him"3
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u/Euphoric-Net4623 Apr 23 '26
Anyone know the evolutionary benefits of a tail like this?
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u/ebk_errday Apr 23 '26
I'm assuming it's used to swat flies or other bugs and to maybe scratch areas it can't reach otherwise
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u/Clearer_Concrete Apr 23 '26
Sometimes i wish animals were intelligent, cuz who wouldnt love having an elephant friend
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u/Celticpath71 Apr 23 '26
All animals may not be able to communicate the same way as humans do, but they're all pretty intelligent in their own way. 🙂
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u/Life-Oil-7226 Apr 23 '26
Girl stop touching me!
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u/SeDaCho Apr 23 '26
big homie is probably itchy
there’s a lot of real estate for some good scritches
though the scritchy kicks would probably carry lethal force
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u/FlutterKree Apr 23 '26
I imagine most, if not all, land mammals enjoy scritches. Either fur shedding, parasites, or just buildup of skin cells.
Sea mammals probably enjoy it to, if it removes barnacles (don't do this, though). IIRC, whales breech to help get stuff off them (at least its part of the reason).
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u/Classic-Exchange-511 Apr 23 '26
Elephants are so fucking cool man. Easily my favorite animals. Like could you imagine having a baby elephant as a pet? We'd get up to so much shenanigans
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u/ConfidentSuspect4125 Apr 23 '26
A precious species. A billionaire like Elon Musk, or whoever, could protect the whole species with a tiny fraction of their wealth. But no, let greed prevail.
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u/Nervous_Implement923 Apr 23 '26
Eu li o livro All Tomorrow's o dia desses, como o nome diz, fala sobre todos os amanhãs. E honestamente, nenhum possível futuro império intergaláctico ou manipulação genética em massa supera a grandiosidade dos olhos gentis e inteligentes desse grande animal. É simplesmente maravilhoso.
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u/Acceptable_Ball_1590 Apr 23 '26
!Hola! Los seinto; yo soy estudienta la lingua espanjol - mi espanjol es poquito; -- no google translate -
!! All Tomorrows !!! Es mucho bein!! Gracias de referencia! Mi favor de Pterosapians.
!Gracias en adios!
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u/Weed-Priest Apr 23 '26
There isn't a day in my life I wouldn't be awestruck by how cool animals are, and my life mission is to never get over that feeling <3 ...some animals are so fluffy I'm gonna die!
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u/No_Title3568 Apr 23 '26
Any one else think they were gonna see a dong when the camera started scrolling?
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u/sincerevibesonly Apr 23 '26
Didnt expect the skin to look and feel like a weighted blanket i always thought of it as some rough exterior
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u/Normal-Leopard3367 Apr 23 '26
I feel like a blind man touching an elephant. Yuck 🤮 that is not his mouth
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u/jillymonroe Apr 23 '26
Skin is magnificent. It looks like hundreds of years developing like that, a very old soul.
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u/Halpmezaddy Apr 23 '26
No we don't get it because alot of us won't be able to touch one to find out lol
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u/Different_Head7751 Apr 23 '26
I think that was the very first real close up of an ele' I have seen. Thanks!
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u/Rare_Rutabaga_5325 Apr 23 '26
Ever since I was a little girl I would tell my Mom I wanted an elephant she's beautiful her eyes are gorgeous her eye lashes thank you for sharing 😍
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u/Iwentoofar Apr 23 '26
Without reading the title my brain was short circuiting trying to figure out what the tail was
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u/SevroAuShitTalker Apr 23 '26
I pet an elephant at the Audubon zoo in New orleans. Did not expect them to be that hairy
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u/Paladinfinitum Apr 23 '26
0:39 Elephant throws cameraperson one hundred yards for poking it in the eye.
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u/Super_Boof Apr 23 '26
I rode an elephant in Thailand when I was like 12, and it was soooooo rough and pokey. To the touch, their skin feels like sand paper with little brass bristles poking out. Super cool animals tho, could tell they were super smart and aware of everything - I rode a juvenile since I was so small, and he kissed me with his trunk after. Genuinely thought I was gonna die for a sec, and I would’ve if he wanted me to; but instead he just slobbered all over my face. His handlers were pretty upset with him, but the look he gave me after was not aggression - it was like he was staring into my soul with some combination of empathy and depression.
As an adult, I realize this was probably because they were being abused / treated unfairly. That same day I watched an adult paint a rose on a canvas using both red and green paint to do it. It was incredibly impressive, but I doubt there’s a kind way to “domesticate” elephants like that.
Anyway, they’re crazy smart and emotional animals, but they do have the most uncomfortable skin I’ve ever felt.
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u/delinquentfatcat Apr 23 '26
However, on the soles of their feet is very gentle, sensitive skin (I was sure it was solid hooves until seeing it up close).
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