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Anita mentioned in a recent comment that her favourite photographs of ours are one of an elephant peering into the car and another of an elephant biting the spare tire. They are some of my favourites, too, for at the time I had the strangest feeling - that I was the one under observation not the elephants! I was very concious of interacting with intelligent individuals who, at that moment, had their own thoughts about me! I remember being very moved by the experience and to this day am trying to put words to that kind of conscious meeting of the minds that I felt. The images were taken in Sri Lanka when Petter and I were invited by Lalith Seneveratne (known for his work on elephant rumble detectors and trip wires to keep elephants out of farmers fields) on a tour of elephant habitat. I remember that safari with great fondness and it holds some of my most memorable elephants experiences. Lalith took us on a two week safari to see elephants in four different national parks. The first stop was Uda Walawe and this particular group was one of the first that we met. The adult females were quite stroppy, standing tall forming a defensive wall. At the same time they were so engaged with us - coming up close, staring at us and rumbling and touching one another. Their behavior was very like African elephants, but with some subtle and not so subtle differences that I still find so fascinating. It is these subtle differences that make me yearn for the possibility of finding a way to study Asian elephant communication.
A wall of adult females. After the adults created a hullaballoo about us, the calves and juveniles formed a little gang of six and decended upon us. They surrounded the car and then peered in through the windows, oggling us! I had the distinct feeling of being an elephant pet. This kind of behavior - adults standing back making a commotion while the juveniles made a play thing out of us, is not typical of African elephants.
Feeling like the elephants’ pets. Asian elephants have different eyes than African elephants whose eyelids are more prominent causing them to appear less engaged, perhaps. An African elephant (at least in the wild) has to be very curious to look you straight in the eye. But these “little” guys came over and literally studied us! I felt like a fish in a tank, or rather an animal in a cage! And then one boy goes to the rear of the car and chews on the spare tire.
A juvenile bites the spare tire.
10 Comments posted on "A funny encounter with Asian elephants"
Paula on April 10th, 2008 at 7:57 am
That’s adorable Joyce. I think it was a special greeting - they obviously like you a lot!
Anna on April 10th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Hi Joyce, Fascinating and thought provoking as all the posts (and comments) that have been uploaded here recently, far gone are they days when we’re thought that there is not just an elephant and if you knew a few of the differences between an Asian elephant and an African Elephant you almost qualified as an wildlife expert :-). It is most likely only the tip of an ice berg what so far have been uncovered in terms of specific differences between the two and there most be so many secrets yet to be discovered, most likely a job for life Joyce & Petter ! A long term study of the differences between the two subspecies would surely show us some distinct cultural differences and more, the Asian elephant they say is also the genetically closer linked to the pre-historic woolly mammoth. Thanks for sharing these lovely and humoristic photos and it is a joy to read your blog and follow the continued stories and learning new facts. Much appreciated Anna M..
Christine C. on April 10th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Joyce — fantastic blog and wonderful pictures!
Wanda, Atlanta on April 10th, 2008 at 9:16 am
GREAT BLOG STORY.
Marie Taoukdjian on April 10th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
That must have been such an amazing and fun experience with the asian elephants! I would love to go and see them in the wild. Great photos. Really cute and funny.
Amy on April 10th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Hi Joyce – Someone once described Asian elephants as being more contemplative and thinking before they act, while Africans are more like teenagers bouncing off the walls. What do you think about that?
Joyce on April 10th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Well, Amy, I have heard that before, too. But I met with pretty radical behavior in Sri Lanka. In Minneriya we met a wonderfully wild female who kicked the car and broke the head light…in Africa elephants just tusk cars (kicking the car??!!)….but those stories are both for another posting! I think that both species can be contemplative and outrageously emotional….bit like us….
Jan on April 10th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Hi Joyce: Thanks for posting this interesting information. You know how to make elephant sounds with your mouth and tongue and the Amboseli elephants seem to know that you are “speaking” to them. If you made the same sound to the Asian elephants in Sri Lanka would they recognize that you are communicating with them or would they be spooked by it?
Anita on April 12th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Thank you for posting this, Joyce. I saw the photos in your photo gallery. The elephants definitely look like they’re studying you. I’m thrilled. It’s great to hear your perspective.
Theresa Siskind St Petersburg FL on April 12th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Beautiful! Thanks. Post a comment
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