EUF's Rescued Elephants

Trunks and Tails

There is no appendage in the entire animal kingdom more unique or versatile than an elephant's trunk. It trumpets; it squeaks; it is a knife, fork and spoon for eating; it is a straw for drinking and bathing; it can carry huge objects; it is a mobile battering ram, it is the greatest of all smelling noses; and it caresses, nurtures and fondles. The trunk is a truly remarkable mobile appendage.

When a bull elephant gives a serious trumpet, it could bring the walls of Jericho down. The same bull can issue a squeak no louder than a mouse’s; this mini trumpet usually occurs out of fright or uncertainty.

The trunk is by far the most versatile eating instrument. It can pull up clumps of grass, then whack them against a leg to remove the dirt before stuffing into the mouth. It can reach high into trees to remove branches loaded with tender leaves or to eat roots, bark and even wood. It can delicately pick flowers, seeds or fruits off of bushes. An elephant has a gourmet palate and will walk miles when seasonal plants are available’ spending up to 18 hours a day feeding. It has the dexterity to pick up a dime, a needle, or the strength to crush a tree.

To elephants, water is the very fountain of life both to drink and to bathe in. They can consume up to 26 gallons a day. The trunk is the instrument of this necessity. Elephants drink only with their trunk, dipping it into the liquid, sucking up to 2.5 gallons and then blowing it into their mouths. They will travel 20 miles to find water to bathe in during a dry season. Mud is pulled into the trunk and thrown over the entire body to cool and to repel the insects. Dust baths are also necessary with trunks pulling up quantities of fine earth, which is then sprayed generously over the back and head.

The bloodhound must take a back seat to the ability of a trunk to ferret out the smallest of scents. In Africa now, elephants have been trained to track poachers. Their fine sense of smell can travel over rocks, water and rough terrain. When poachers know an elephants is on their trail, they just give up because they know the elephant will win. The sense of smell when one elephant group meets another is vital. Their eyesight is poor but they can remember over years the smell of a relative or friend.

Elephants have a defined social structure. When one group meets another, there is a cacophony of trumpets, squeals of joy and dashing to and fro. The joyous greeting culminated in touching and feeling of their friends and relative’s bodies. The instrument of all this stroking is the trunk. It is like a sinuous dancer caressing every part of huge bodies, ears, head, and back and finally entwining of trunks. For mother elephants, the trunk is the ultimate baby-sitter. It keeps in contact with the calf, guiding, stopping, and pushing forward or away from danger. For the first year, when the young can still walk under mom’s huge belly there is no safer place to be and with mother’s trunk feeling and caressing, a sense of security and safety is assured.

Asian elephants have been domesticated for centuries. They primarily worked in the logging trade. The ability to carry large logs in their trunks or push stacks of logs into piles made then ideal work machines. The trunk and head combined make a formidable battering ram, to push over piles of logs, building, fortifications, or whatever the task demanded.

The trunk is truly the most remarkable and unique of animal appendages.

THE OTHER END

With a massive head, ears like sails, the longest of noses and a multi ton body, it would be reasonable to expect a tail of majestic proportions. Was it a cruel joke of creation that an elephant’s tail is a mere suggestion? This small appendage has but a few uses. Like a fly swatter, it swings back and forth fanning insects away. When walking single file elephants in the wild do not hang on to the tail in front of them. This habit was developed by circuses. Occasionally a calf will grab hold of mom’s tail if it is tired and needs her strength to keep up. The only time the tail becomes a signal of emotion is when the animal is agitated by excitement or preparing for a charge. With ears fanned out and the trunk raised in a threatening posture, the tail goes straight out, ridged, and taut with emotion.

Since there is little more to say about the --tail--we leave the subject and go to –TALES

By 1500 BC man and the elephant were having a relationship and here begins the -- tale. Ancient seals show the elephant wearing some sort of a saddle, which implies it had been domesticated. How puny man was able to subjugate such a huge animal can only be imagine! The most likely scenario was ropes, spears, fire and pure terror on the animals’ part. The job of the mahout or the caregiver was born, and played a special role through the centuries.

Elephants were first used as war machines; the mere sight of such a huge animal, in many cases, never seen before, was enough to send brave men and armies fleeing. In spite of massive size, elephants are not able to carry heavy loads on their backs. They can push, haul and lift which makes them ideal for logging and construction. It is said that 20,000 elephants worked on Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Countless nations were built on the back of elephants. Through the centuries, they were used in hunting, parades and as religious icons.

The beloved Hindu God, Ganesha has an elephants head and is considered a great Lord, and the celestial white elephant was ridden by many of the gods.

The insatiable demand for ivory, which started more than 20,000 years ago, resulted in the animal becoming a major target for the hunters. Even so, the African elephants are fairing better today than their Asian relations. The Asian elephant death rate is exceeding the birth rate. Combined with growing lack of habitat, due to agriculture, deforestation and increasing population, this elephant has little hope of a future.

For an animal, which every child recognizes is idolized in religions, and has built empires, THE END HAS BEGUN.


	Trunks and Tails There is no appendage in the entire animal kingdom more unique or versatile than an elephant's trunk. It trumpets; it squeaks; it is a knife, fork and spoon for eating; it is a straw for drinking and bathing; it can carry huge objects; it is a mobile battering ram, it is the greatest of all smelling noses; and it caresses, nurtures and fondles. The trunk is a truly remarkable mobile appendage. When a bull elephant gives a serious trumpet, it could bring the walls of Jericho down. The same bull can issue a squeak no louder than a mouse’s; this mini trumpet usually occurs out of fright or uncertainty. The trunk is by far the most versatile eating instrument. It can pull up clumps of grass, then whack them against a leg to remove the dirt before stuffing into the mouth. It can reach high into trees to remove branches loaded with tender leaves or to eat roots, bark and even wood. It can delicately pick flowers, seeds or fruits off of bushes. An elephant has a gourmet palate and will walk miles when seasonal plants are available’ spending up to 18 hours a day feeding. It has the dexterity to pick up a dime, a needle, or the strength to crush a tree. To elephants, water is the very fountain of life both to drink and to bathe in. They can consume up to 26 gallons a day. The trunk is the instrument of this necessity. Elephants drink only with their trunk, dipping it into the liquid, sucking up to 2.5 gallons and then blowing it into their mouths. They will travel 20 miles to find water to bathe in during a dry season. Mud is pulled into the trunk and thrown over the entire body to cool and to repel the insects. Dust baths are also necessary with trunks pulling up quantities of fine earth, which is then sprayed generously over the back and head. The bloodhound must take a back seat to the ability of a trunk to ferret out the smallest of scents. In Africa now, elephants have been trained to track poachers. Their fine sense of smell can travel over rocks, water and rough terrain. When poachers know an elephants is on their trail, they just give up because they know the elephant will win. The sense of smell when one elephant group meets another is vital. Their eyesight is poor but they can remember over years the smell of a relative or friend. Elephants have a defined social structure. When one group meets another, there is a cacophony of trumpets, squeals of joy and dashing to and fro. The joyous greeting culminated in touching and feeling of their friends and relative’s bodies. The instrument of all this stroking is the trunk. It is like a sinuous dancer caressing every part of huge bodies, ears, head, and back and finally entwining of trunks. For mother elephants, the trunk is the ultimate baby-sitter. It keeps in contact with the calf, guiding, stopping, and pushing forward or away from danger. For the first year, when the young can still walk under mom’s huge belly there is no safer place to be and with mother’s trunk feeling and caressing, a sense of security and safety is assured. Asian elephants have been domesticated for centuries. They primarily worked in the logging trade. The ability to carry large logs in their trunks or push stacks of logs into piles made then ideal work machines. The trunk and head combined make a formidable battering ram, to push over piles of logs, building, fortifications, or whatever the task demanded. The trunk is truly the most remarkable and unique of animal appendages. *THE OTHER END* With a massive head, ears like sails, the longest of noses and a multi ton body, it would be reasonable to expect a tail of majestic proportions. Was it a cruel joke of creation that an elephant’s tail is a mere suggestion? This small appendage has but a few uses. Like a fly swatter, it swings back and forth fanning insects away. When walking single file elephants in the wild do not hang on to the tail in front of them. This habit was developed by circuses. Occasionally a calf will grab hold of mom’s tail if it is tired and needs her strength to keep up. The only time the tail becomes a signal of emotion is when the animal is agitated by excitement or preparing for a charge. With ears fanned out and the trunk raised in a threatening posture, the tail goes straight out, ridged, and taut with emotion. Since there is little more to say about the --tail--we leave the subject and go to –TALES By 1500 BC man and the elephant were having a relationship and here begins the -- tale. Ancient seals show the elephant wearing some sort of a saddle, which implies it had been domesticated. How puny man was able to subjugate such a huge animal can only be imagine! The most likely scenario was ropes, spears, fire and pure terror on the animals’ part. The job of the mahout or the caregiver was born, and played a special role through the centuries. Elephants were first used as war machines; the mere sight of such a huge animal, in many cases, never seen before, was enough to send brave men and armies fleeing. In spite of massive size, elephants are not able to carry heavy loads on their backs. They can push, haul and lift which makes them ideal for logging and construction. It is said that 20,000 elephants worked on Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Countless nations were built on the back of elephants. Through the centuries, they were used in hunting, parades and as religious icons. The beloved Hindu God, Ganesha has an elephants head and is considered a great Lord, and the celestial white elephant was ridden by many of the gods. The insatiable demand for ivory, which started more than 20,000 years ago, resulted in the animal becoming a major target for the hunters. Even so, the African elephants are fairing better today than their Asian relations. The Asian elephant death rate is exceeding the birth rate. Combined with growing lack of habitat, due to agriculture, deforestation and increasing population, this elephant has little hope of a future. For an animal, which every child recognizes is idolized in religions, and has built empires, THE END HAS BEGUN.