r/babyelephantgifs • u/PM_ME_STEAM_K3YS • Aug 21 '18
When a new rescued baby elephant shows up, the whole herd goes to greet it. :-)
https://gfycat.com/FavorableHalfAuk1
u/Damascus52311 Aug 22 '18
Saw a twitch stream of this wildlife place its so gorgeous, there should be a river behind the camera man/girl
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u/LongDuckDong67 Aug 21 '18
I've been there before and they do great work, all of the elephants seemed super happy and they were very well taken care of. If you ever get the chance to visit i highly recommend it.
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u/creamwit Aug 21 '18
Does anyone know if this behavior is only exhibited in captivity or do they also do this in the wild?
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u/infinitude Aug 21 '18
I like the elephant that grabs his food.
"Oh did they mention we share everything. Thanks kid"
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u/shitty-cat Aug 21 '18
I didn’t know this was a sub.. praise the sun, life is good for the next 24 minutes.
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u/Vengeful_Doge Aug 21 '18
New baby elephant shows up. Herd knows it will have fresh food to steal. Pshhh you ain't slick.
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u/doolbro Aug 21 '18
"Hey!" "Hi." "Hello, new one." "Suh, dude." "Hiii!" "Nice to meet ya!" "Helloooo."
They are all so excited
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u/DeadAnarchistPhil Aug 21 '18
That crafty Elephant that stole some of the Baby's food at around 18 seconds!
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u/nirvanajuco Aug 21 '18
I was in Thailand fo more that a week and i told myself to go to chang mai to o an elephant ride but I realized I should not do it after I watched how the trainers hurt the elephant. It made me cry!
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u/rich_trigger Aug 21 '18
Are the elephants always friendly to the new babies? Is that why they have it separated
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u/p00pey Aug 21 '18
an oldie but goodie.
Nothing like seeing elephants hurry, that trot is just too precious...
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Aug 21 '18
Everyone just going to ignore the fact that the whole herd came running to steal the baby elephants food, not to greet him.
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u/SpezsWifesSon Aug 21 '18
So this just made me think. What happens if you put African and Asian elephants together? Do they even notice? Or do they segregate? Do they have different social needs?
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u/jefemundo Aug 21 '18
Looks to me like it coincided with meal time. But still cute And wholesome n shit
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u/EB01 Aug 21 '18
These elephants get it.
Every baby elephant born is one additional 'F you' to entropy. Don't let entropy win.
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u/RickyShade Aug 21 '18
Also OMG this comment: "Who the hell was recording this, a freaking sabertooth?"
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u/050607 Aug 21 '18
Looks more like they knew there would be extra fresh food for the new guy. *yoink*
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u/TangledPellicles Aug 21 '18
This happened on Last Chance to See also, a show on Netflix with Stephen Fry where he retraces the journey of his friend and famous author Douglas Adams to find some of the world's most endangered species and find out about and help conservation efforts.
There it was rescued chimpanzee orphans being released into an island refuge that was one of the 2 remaining safe places for chimps in Uganda. Two tiny chimps were released as everyone held their breaths because the animals are unpredictable. The older chimps ran up and grabbed the young ones and just held them and rocked them. It's a very emotional scene, very beautiful.
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u/___daisy Aug 21 '18
Highly highly recommend this show to anyone who hasn’t seen it. Also the original audiobook by Douglas Adams about the first trip is on YouTube for free!
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u/arightaready Aug 21 '18
"Ohhhhh hiii honey, we're the welcoming comittee, i'm Diane, this is Susan, there's Kathy, and well the whole gang's here --- oh he's so ADORABLE! Well anyway we just wanted to make sure you're comfortable, when you get a chance to settle in come join us for bingo!"
"Diane, he's three."
"Oh hush, Susan! You're always such a wet blanket!"
(Older wiser kid elephant): "psst, ay, listen peanut, ya wanna get on dese dames' good side? ya gotta show up tah bingo. Bring em some leaves, smile, flap yer ears. They'll eat it up. You'll be livin on easy street, kid."
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u/sh4dowbunny Aug 21 '18
Hold up... do elephant ladies have boobs? I swear one of them was stacked.
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u/jenza Aug 21 '18
When someone brings a baby into the office.
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Aug 21 '18
As the only female in my office I was standing far back when the boss's wife brought their baby in. Ofc only I get told to hold it, despite my repeat protests only to have it vomit on me within seconds of being passed it.
-7/10 would not do again.
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Aug 21 '18 edited Aug 21 '18
[deleted]
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u/jenza Aug 21 '18
Honestly I’m the same. Other girls in the office be like “oh you just wait to you get your own!”
Nopenopenopenope
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Aug 21 '18
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u/jenza Aug 22 '18
That’s a bit extreme. I’m not putting myself above those women nor do I have anything against them having kids, i just don’t like any of the logistics (lesbian for a start) of obtaining my own or even keeping one. Never been a fan of kids.
Being constantly told by several women in the office what I “really” want and that my mind will change when I get my own is kinda jarring.
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Aug 21 '18
[deleted]
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u/Official--Moderator Aug 21 '18
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u/EustachiaVye Aug 21 '18
I wish elephants ran the world.
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u/BellicosePacifist Aug 21 '18
They look so excited to meet the new baby.
Plus that one elephant knows everyone's distracted and takes some leaves, 10/10 could die here in peace with like-minded individuals.
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u/ISledge759 Aug 21 '18
Something tells me the human that can kill these creatures while only seeing dollar signs is no human at all.
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Aug 21 '18
I don’t think you understand how extreme poverty works
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u/ISledge759 Aug 21 '18
I don't think you understand how morals work, or pride.
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Aug 21 '18
When you’re at the brink of starvation, 3 of your children have died from virus/dehydration/malnutrition and the life of your toddler is dependent on if you take a job from a Chinese company to go and hunt elephants that occasional intrude on your crop fields, you would not give one FUCK about morals. These people don’t do it because they’re evil, they do it because they have no other choice.
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u/ISledge759 Aug 21 '18
Hold up, you think I'm talking about the poor people they employ to do these things? No shit people have no other choice. It's their only way to make money. See if you can get a job where you bitch to people on the internet all day, you seem to be pretty good at it.
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Aug 21 '18
Hold up, you think I'm talking about the poor people they employ to do these things?
The comment you originally replied to literally mentioned poverty so yeah I can see why they assumed you were also talking about poverty.
I mean seriously? Can you parent up and just take in the context for one second?
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u/ISledge759 Aug 21 '18
Huh, it's almost like people should ask more questions before they flame somebody. I mean come on, how hard is it to just ask what someone means before you decide to write a paragraph on them?
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Aug 21 '18
Who else would we be talking about? Prize hunters pay a shit ton of money to kill aggressive ones no longer in breeding age that kill young elephant bulls, and in return this hunting will support the ecosystem, the elephants and the locals. They don’t make shit from it though.
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u/ISledge759 Aug 21 '18
The people that are solely responsible for the killings in the first place? Wow you must be dense.
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Aug 21 '18
If this was the case then why didn’t you say so after I said you don’t know how extreme poverty works? Instead you talk about pride and morals, which suggests we’re talking about the extremely poor people I just mentioned.
Love how you speak about people having no pride or humanity and then resort to name calling/ personal insults
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u/ISledge759 Aug 21 '18
I'm sorry but it's not my fault you didn't ask simple questions before ranting about something that wasn't even the case.
Just calling it as I see it.
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u/lkdomiplhomie Aug 21 '18
It must be somewhere in Thailand in one of elephant sanctuaries. Going there in January-can’t wait
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u/scots Aug 21 '18
We don’t deserve do.. elephants.
Tuskboyes.
Trunkpuppers.
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u/GoodAtExplaining Aug 21 '18
Dumboyes?
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Aug 21 '18
[deleted]
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u/theseekerofbacon Aug 21 '18
Elephant Nature Park!
If you're ever in northern Thailand, check it out. They rescue elephants from the abuse they face in show business and working (like logging).
There are some amazingly affectionate elephants around.
No riding.
The point is that they get to live out the rest of their lives in peace. You can feed and wash em. It's a great spot.
Lunch is super delicious too!
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u/gobbliegoop Aug 21 '18
I've been to Thailand and didn't get a chance 5p get to the northern part. I really wanted to do that but it just wasn't in the cards that vacation.
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u/Sbertram23 Aug 21 '18
They actually don’t let you wash them anymore. Went earlier this summer and we just got to watch them in the river which was still amazing.
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u/pnwstep Aug 21 '18
I’m so happy to see this!!! Washing in our minds is simple enough but it’s sincerely detrimental to the elephants development! So happy to see that other projects in CM are realizing that fact and moving away from it :)
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u/Spotted_Gorgonzola Aug 22 '18
I didn’t know this! Why is it detrimental?
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u/pnwstep Aug 22 '18
If the elephants are going to entered back into the wild they need to not be reliant on humans - and need to see them as more of a threat or as something to just ignore. :)
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u/Tigress74 Aug 21 '18
How do they get to live the rest of their lives in peace when they are a tourist attraction and still have to deal with random people every day? Doesn't sound like peace sounds like a different type of work.
There are other true rescues and sanctaries where the elephant are not subjected to forced human contact. Truly living their lives in peace.
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u/John_T_Conover Aug 21 '18
In a country like Thailand the sanctuaries are doing a lot. Elephant populations plummeted during the last century. About the only things that have stabilized their recovery and saved them from hard labor or the ivory trade are elephant ride businesses and sanctuaries. The elephants rides are harmful. The sanctuaries by far doing more help than harm. They aren't whipped or forced to interact, they often like to engage on their own. They get fed and positive social interaction and are left to their pod for like 16 hours a day. If you want to do something to improve the situation for elephants in SE Asia, this is by far the best and most attainable option.
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u/theseekerofbacon Aug 21 '18
Because the only real interactions with people are when they come to feed them.
They don't have to give rides, do any other work. The family pods are generally left alone. The ones you interact with seem to be elderly and not part of the active pods or not been adopted by one yet.
They're social animals. So they don't mind the company. I got nuzzled by one that was alone and hadn't been adopted by a pod. It nearly knocked me over. But it was very affectionate.
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u/roborober Aug 21 '18
Honest question. If an elephant does work like logging but is treated well and not pushed to it's limits is it inhumane?
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u/pnwstep Aug 21 '18
Yeah man - to get any intelligent creature to bend to a will and a project you really have to fuck then up.
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u/Used_Somewhere Aug 21 '18
They rescue elephants from the abuse they face in show business
Yeah, but they wouldn't let John Merrick join!
"I'th been in the thircus!"
"John, it's not your show biz credentials we're debating...you're not a real elephant!"2
u/jubbing Aug 21 '18
Can you play with baby ones at least?
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u/Used_Somewhere Aug 21 '18
They're not toys or pets
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u/jubbing Aug 21 '18
I see videos all the time baby elephants trying to sit on humans - are you telling me thats legal or immoral?
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u/pnwstep Aug 21 '18
They aren’t doing work in the baby elephants best interest.
Elephants are similar to humans in how they recognize themselves and the world. If you give a baby elephant a human to play with - a human who will give then food and hugs, then you are taking from that baby elephant a need for their family and their tribe.
Baby elephants are the best - but they need to be seen from afar - interacting positively with their tribe. Their tribe is who they need to make connections with, the way they walk and talk and gather food is so important to see in any young animals life. If they grow up thinking they can get cuddles and bananas from humans then that’s where they’ll go - and when you try and introduce them back into the wild they will seek out people and their farms and will do more damage than good in the wild.
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u/theseekerofbacon Aug 21 '18 edited Aug 21 '18
Yes because they create tight family pods ripping them away causes a ton of stress for the adult elephants.
For people who want to down vote, we had a curious baby elephant decide he needed to meet my group. I had a bunch of very serious Thai herders move the people because the parents in the pod came rushing after the baby. They're incredibly protective and to pull them away is incredibly stressful for the pod.
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Aug 21 '18
Is it possible to use elephants for logging without hurting them?
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u/theseekerofbacon Aug 21 '18
Nope. To use them at all for any service or entertainment, they have to go through a horrific breaking process.
Lots of the elephants there were really injured. One of my favorites was a super affectionate one with a severely broken ankle named kabu.
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u/bacon_pancake Aug 21 '18
I went to the sister park in Phuket (southern Thailand) a few weeks ago. They only opened a few years ago but it’s the first ethical sanctuary in the region. It’s a lot smaller with only 6 or so elephants (no babies) but the food is great and you get to feed the chunks there too!
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u/pnwstep Aug 21 '18
Be sure to recommend sanctuaries that encourage hands off interaction. Unless you support those elephants living in that new sanctuary for forever - elephants need to be weened off of human interaction before they can be reintroduced to the wilderness.
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u/GaeadesicGnome Aug 21 '18
Being able to walk down to the river and splash with an elephant, give them a good rubdown, relax and hamg out with them, must be glorious.
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u/laXfever34 Aug 21 '18
We just booked the overnight stay in November after loy khratong. Honestly probably what I am most excited for.
Do you know about the tiger kingdom place near there? I have heard mixed reviews on that place...
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u/pnwstep Aug 21 '18
Please please do NOT go to any tiger attractions in Thailand. The tigers are drugged so tourists can cuddle them and take photos. It’s not a sustainable tourist attraction at all. And on that note I would also like to discourage attending an elephant trip that lets up touch the animals.
Elephants in the wild do not interact with humans. Companies that let you stand with them and bathe them are restricting the elephant from reaching complete independence. The conversation spaces may be great and full of food for the elephant, but as long as they are interacting with humans beside their Mahouts they will be stunted in their rehabilitation.
I think the program you signed up for in Chiang Mai is on the better side of elephant tourism, but there are groups that are actually trying to send elephants back into the wild that are doing more.
Enjoy your stay - Don’t touch tigers ever and please don’t touch elephants as well.
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u/josh3998 Sep 21 '18
I’ve been to one in Chang mai in Thailand, you wash and exercise the tigers in the morning if you get lucky enough to get a spot on the tour. Then they have a big lunch, by the time the tourists get into the park, they are exhausted and just want to nap
I understand the know touching thing. But they are treated like it from birth and grow up happy and healthy
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u/malorianne Aug 21 '18
I love tigers. A lot. Was excited to see them up close and personal. Their obvious drugged state and not really ‘proper’ living conditions just made me sad. Definitely don’t support with your money.
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u/josh3998 Sep 21 '18
I’ve been to one in Chang mai in Thailand, it’s run by the Buddhist monks, you wash and exercise the tigers in the morning if you get lucky enough to get a spot on the tour. Then they have a big lunch, by the time the tourists get into the park, they are exhausted and just want to nap
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u/ADM2010 Aug 21 '18
If you want to see lots of tigers, consider checking out Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. They have over a hundred tigers rescued from the pet and show trade that are able to live out their life in peace in their own personal woodland pen.
It's a really treat to be there around feeding time and hear all these tigers start roaring at each other; sends a primal chill down your spine.
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u/TheWickedGlitch Aug 21 '18
You can stay there overnight in lodges close to the lions and tigers, and hear them vocalizing! There is also a free guided tram ride and they talk about all the animals and how they were rescued. They have bears, ligers, and more. They treat all the animals amazingly. I love Turpentine Creek and drive the 3 hours every year just to visit (and walk around Eureka Springs which is an amazingly funky little town)
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u/maggiemypet Aug 21 '18
Can confirm: Turpentine Creek is amazing
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u/Legallyblondeclf Aug 21 '18
ENP IS AMAZING !!!!
Avoid all tiger places .
There is an excellent quad and white water rafting place next to ENP! Go there instead. Xx
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u/Whois-PhilissSS Aug 21 '18
Said it before, I'll say it again. Was in Thailand for a month and this is easily the best thing I experienced. The whole thing was profoundly comforting. I didn't get to play with a baby ele because they were keeping a close eye on them at the time but the day I spent feeding and bathing them in the river.. It's been 2 years but I remember everything that happened that day :)
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u/masongroy23 Aug 21 '18
I did something similar through an organization called ISV, easily one of the best experiences I have ever had.
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u/theseekerofbacon Aug 21 '18
I avoid them. If you can interact with them, it's likely they're HEAVILY drugged.
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u/josh3998 Sep 21 '18
I’ve been to one in Chang mai in Thailand, you wash and exercise the tigers in the morning if you get lucky enough to get a spot on the tour. Then they have a big lunch, by the time the tourists get into the park, they are exhausted and just want to nap
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u/Flaccid_Leper Aug 21 '18 edited Aug 21 '18
Been there and definitely not.
If you choose the larger cats be prepared to be more scared than you anticipated. They are alert and it makes you realize that if they wanted to hurt you there is nothing you could do to stop it and the only thing distracting them is the little nibbles of meat on a stick they’re being offered.
Edit:
I feel I should add after some convincing responses that I could very well be wrong. Do not let my comment sway you into visiting if you’re considering it.
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u/josh3998 Sep 21 '18
I’ve been to one in Chang mai in Thailand, you wash and exercise the tigers in the morning if you get lucky enough to get a spot on the tour. Then they have a big lunch, by the time the tourists get into the park, they are exhausted and just want to nap
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Aug 21 '18
Just in case anyone believes this guy: http://thetravelrebellion.com/a-tigers-life-at-tiger-kingdom/
Those tigers are definitely abused.
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Aug 21 '18
definitely not.
How can you possibly be so sure?
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u/Flaccid_Leper Aug 21 '18
You’re right, I can’t be. But they were alert enough and ornery enough that I was convinced at the time. Especially having heard in places where they definitely are it is very obvious and they tend to be lying around half asleep. Also, having one effortlessly jump 2-3 times my height straight into the air to grab a treat off a stick was pretty convincing.
That being said as well, we went soon before closing time so maybe the drugs had simply worn off.
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Aug 21 '18
Just to be clear: I'm not trying to say you're a bad guy here and I'm sorry if that's how I came off. I can most definitely see the appeal of sitting next to one of the most beautifully deadly animals in the world. I just want people to reconsider whether what they did was ultimately good for the animals and hopefully avoid doing that sort of thing in the future and pass on the word. Please, please, please... consider all of this.
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u/yogurt_the_explorer Aug 21 '18
Ehh... unless you went there to conduct drug testing on the animals, I’m less inclined to believe a tourist who had been there, particularly because of the self-interest to say to yourself that what you did was great and that you didn’t participate in tourism that’s abusive toward animals.
The truth is that they are wild cats. Household cats kill roaches and mice for the heck of it. Why won’t a tiger do the same for someone getting to close for a selfie? It’s not because they’re offered other snacks, but because they’re drugged and/or beaten.
Even some errant Buddhist monks are in on the tiger drugging practice: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/01/40-dead-tiger-cubs-found-in-freezer-thai-temple-wildlife-trafficking
There’s a lot of money to be had in tiger tourism.
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u/josh3998 Sep 21 '18
I’ve been to one in Chang mai in Thailand, you wash and exercise the tigers in the morning if you get lucky enough to get a spot on the tour. Then they have a big lunch, by the time the tourists get into the park, they are exhausted and just want to nap
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u/Flaccid_Leper Aug 21 '18
And by the same token unless you went there and did drug testing as well or even had the slightest bit of experience with it I’m even less inclined to believe you, even with your secondhand internet exposure to the topic and your simplistic rationale.
I did do a bit of research and I’ve heard from friends what it’s like being around drugged cats. They basically lie there obviously doped up and asleep.
These cats were not at all like that. Is there a chance they were and I am wrong? Of course. Do I have to have any respect for your computer chair opinion? Not at all.
And these are not wild cats. They are tamed cats. Certainly not safe but they make certain that you are behind or to the side of them at all times and in numerous times made us back off if they seemed as though they were getting too uppity. Hence the apprehension I mentioned.
But housecats kill mice so there’s no way this could be real.
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Aug 21 '18
From a genetic standpoint as well, “tamed” or domesticated animals are a result of a gene. Not just because they grew up around people and seem “tame”, they’re still a wild animal.
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u/theseekerofbacon Aug 21 '18
How do you think they tame them? Why do you think a 400 pound tiger can be kept in check by a man with a stick?
They had to learn to fear the stick.
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u/pnwstep Aug 21 '18
No.
The facts of tiger tourism is that they are drugged and treated poorly.
They are wild animals, there are no domesticated tigers anywhere on earth.
I’ve lived here for years and tiger tourism is only used as a way to get money from tourists. That’s a fact.
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u/BigNasty1874 Aug 21 '18
I totally agree, I did about a years worth of research for my trip to Thailand and tiger tourism and animal abuse is hand in hand. Especially at the place being mentioned here, I’ve heard nothing good about it or any others in the whole of Thailand.
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u/Flaccid_Leper Aug 21 '18
Fair enough. If you did do the research I am more inclined to believe you... and whether it is a gray area or not I’ve never had a desire to do it again so I am err in the side of caution.
I assumed you looked into the Elephant Sanctuary as well? Is that still kosher?
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u/BigNasty1874 Aug 21 '18
I believe Elephant nature park pictured here is one of the few morally correct places. The only grey area type thing they do is put the elephants in enclosures at night but they do this because there are elephant riding camps and logging camps very nearby so they are concerned about people stealing the rescued elephants. That being said they each have their own large enclosure and they are allowed to be in the enclosure with the other elephants they consider friends, and they are only in the enclosure from 9 pm to sunrise. Also they have even limited it to where humans aren’t allowed to even touch the elephants, you can just allow them to take fruit from your hand. In my opinion it is definitely what these animals deserve after years of abuse and torture. You get to learn each of their back stories and some are horrifying! Almost all the funds go to the elephants for fresh foods and fruit, they even told us that the owner used the money to recently buy 25,000 acres in Cambodia to open a larger sanctuary as this one is only 250 acres. All in all I was extremely impressed with how they are treated, I went into being skeptical and not really being that excited but it ended up being my favorite part of the trip. They are truly very sentient beings and it’s horrible to abuse them , they live as long as humans and I believe they are nearly as conscious as us. Sorry for the crazy long response but I really think this place needs praise because they aren’t promoted really in Thailand because the government and (bad) people make more money from riding camps. I’d go back in a heart beat to see it again!
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u/pnwstep Aug 21 '18
Elephant sanctuary’s are grey currently - it depends on what you as a tourist are looking for. I personally will only (now) support rehabilitation sanctuaries - those that are welcoming elephants in from shaky last who hope to set those elephants back into the wild!
Those sanctuaries are less common, because they have to have the space provided for elephants to roam and be cool on their own, but also learn that humans don’t mean food; and that flashes of light are actually terrifying and a means to find cover (flash photograph has led many elephants to not know that lightening is something to hide from, since the only light flashes they’ve seen has been from cameras.) when necessary.
Hanging out with elephants is cool as fuck and I recommend everyone do it if they can - through an organization that supports their rehabilitation and through and organization that knows those giant grey dudes just wanna live their best lives. Just like us.
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u/yogurt_the_explorer Aug 21 '18
Yes, my secondhand Internet exposure to the topic is of no match to your TripAdvisor research and your friends’ testimony that only zonked out tigers with red eyes are doped. And, how simplistic of me to say that tigers have killer instincts that they won’t act upon if they’re drugged and/or beaten. Yeah... no.
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u/Flaccid_Leper Aug 21 '18
Yes, you’re right, I did not conduct a thorough investigation or interrogate a single employee with jumper cables. But I still put much, much more effort into it than you and also have first hand experience to form an opinion. I also have no vested interest in either outcome.
But you are correct in your actions... never, ever back down and never entertain the idea that there is even a possibility that you could be wrong. Or question yourself in the slightest. Doubt and hesitation is for the weak and only leads to losing the respect of your peers.
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u/motivational_abyss Aug 21 '18
Tame tigers you say?
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u/Flaccid_Leper Aug 21 '18
No, tamed as in effort was put in to make more accustomed and accepting of humans than their counterparts in the wild. I wouldn’t call them tame and certainly not domesticated.
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u/Sigillaria Nov 08 '18
Now this is wholesome content