From expressing grief over the loss of a loved one to having some unique talents like painting and playing instruments, elephants might just be more human than most humans on the planet.
Pachyderms have shared a very strong bond with humans for decades. Over the years, however, this human-elephant chemistry has soured owing to poaching for ivory, animal abuse and wildlife conflict. Elephants are known to have a very strong memory - for humans who have treated them well, they are very loyal, and ruthless to those who weren't.
Source/The Hindu
In one Assamese village, residents took care of an elephant who met with accident after getting hit by a train. After three long years of staying in the vicinity of humans, the elephant passed away and the locals decided to conduct its last rites.
According to The Hindu, villagers of Assam’s Kaliabor were so used to the elephant that they named him Burha Baba (old monk).
"He was like one of us and never harmed us," a villager was quoted as saying.
"The people of the area were used to the presence of the old elephant who was not keeping well for some time," honorary wildlife warden and elephant expert Kaushik Baruah told The Hindu.?According to the daily, the elephant was very old and ailing for a long time.
In the past too, humans have gone out of their way to help these gentle giants.?
SWNS
Back in 2017.?a group of rangers rescued a baby elephant from a canal it had fallen into and got separated from its mother. Forest rangers pulled the calf out and tried to push it towards the direction where its worried mother waited.?
Elephants are very curious, empathetic and creative and it's a shame that humans are almost pushing them to the brink of extinction. For now we leave you with this adorable video of an elephant displaying its piano playing skills.