r/MadeMeSmile • u/Plus_Leopard9367 • 8h ago

ANIMALS What a lovely elephant

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u/CrustyBollox 6h ago

This specific elephant was hand raised on a wildlife conservancy.

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u/Ordinary_Prune6135 3h ago

Still very much a wild animal. Taming reduces the danger, for sure, but it doesn't come close to eliminating it.

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u/CrustyBollox 2h ago

True. I believe he's been interacting safely with people for decades, but you're correct that if he did decide to hurt someone then there's not much could be done about it in the moment.

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u/Ordinary_Prune6135 2h ago

That and just how many captive elephants have killed people only after behaving passively for a very long time.

Granted, that's often abuse-related. The risk could be less with a trusted sanctuary.

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u/CrustyBollox 1h ago

I think so, but still non zero.

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u/CardiologistQuiet907 48m ago

There is a non zero chance that a car slams into you killing you and your entire family. Does that mean you don't interact with cars?

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u/CrustyBollox 41m ago

No, but I also don't walk in front of them etc. I don't think that's a direct comparison really.

Could elephat this elephant be dangerous? Yes. Is he likely to be dangerous? No.

I'd let him steal my hat.

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u/CardiologistQuiet907 49m ago

Keep this same energy and criticism when you see someone driving their daughter around considering vehicles related deaths far far far exceed the rate of captive elephant killings lmao.

This little girl literally and demonstrably had a higher chance of death riding to and from the airport than interacting with this elephant. I guess the fact that literally even single human action carries risk is lost on redditors. We should never interact with elephants

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u/Ordinary_Prune6135 41m ago

It's normal to go an entire life without ever physically interacting with an elephant. Affects a comparison like that kind of a lot.

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u/HyperSpaceSurfer 1h ago

Wild animals don't just randomly become aggressive for no apparent reason, and definitely not without making it clear through body language what's going to happen if you don't back off.

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u/Shen1076 1h ago

Along with a hand-fed venomous snake