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u/800-lumens 13h ago
The elephant version of “got your nose”
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u/MahaliAudran 12h ago edited 3h ago
I really wanted it to put a sopping wet hat back on her head.
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u/amiable_ant 5h ago
I was thinking to myself "if it puts the hat back on her, this is definitely AI"
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u/wirefox1 11h ago
I would love to have a hat that had been in an elephant's mouth. Fun!
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u/rjwyonch 11h ago
It will be very snotty, but still cool after a wash.
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u/wirefox1 11h ago
lol I would never wear it again, because it would be too cool as a conversation piece. (I love elephants)
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u/Fun-List5198 13h ago
Whenever I see videos of elephants, bears, whales I can't believe we belong to the same world with these wonderful creatures.
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u/I_Am_Become_Salt 13h ago
Especially when they also intentionally trampled a pair of poachers who were attempting to kill a rhino near the herd
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u/Citaku357 13h ago
Source please 🙏
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u/porcelain_toenail 12h ago
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u/Citaku357 12h ago
Not only was he killed but the lions got a free meal lol.
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u/smallpolk 11h ago
“The fifth was charged and trampled by an elephant, his body eaten by a pride of lions. Only his skull and torn trousers were found.”
Beautiful.
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u/Yoribell 12h ago
Wow I hate the author of the article. It's trying too hard to forgive the poachers. It's true that they are poor people living a difficult lives, not the kingpins etc... They're still the ones deciding to kill a noble and innocent animal that need to be protected to save the future of their whole specie for uncertain personal gains. I have little to no empathy for them. How people people lile that there is ? How many rhinos are left ? How many will be left if everyone like him do the same ?
Revenge killing a hyena and entering a national park to hunt protected specimens is put on the same level here.
0 empathy for animals overall, max empathy for poachers. Fuck the author
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u/Zal3x 12h ago
Actually it’s a common myth. Animal parts is big business. These people aren’t always poor or struggling. But rather just like drug dealers trying to make it rich on living beings
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u/Yoribell 12h ago
That's how I see it too. They'd be slavers if they could
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u/Zal3x 11h ago
Yes they are degenerates. There’s other outcomes when faced even with abject suffering than to cause more suffering. People do the more difficult thing all the time. There’s no excuse for murdering endangered animals. Literally fuck them Id rather them starve. But they don’t, they get paid well.
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u/whteverusayShmegma 11h ago
If you’ve ever lived in the hood, you’d know that dealers have few options and opportunities. Working fast food in a neighborhood that is being gentrified with costs rising doesn’t work. Once you’re in the system (which happens when you’re poor), you aren’t getting a job with the mark of a criminal record. It’s a bad comparison.
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u/DubWyse 10h ago edited 8h ago
The article also says the syndicates coerce locals into poaching for them with threats of violence to their families. These takes are completely delusional (not yours, but the ones acting like preservationism and conservationism are some moral high ground over someone in a situation they have the privilege of never experiencing.)
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u/porcelain_toenail 12h ago
Yeah they seem to be taking a "don't hate the player, hate the game" approach which is fucking stupid. It was either this or an article from the Sun, so I went with the lesser of two evils.
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u/mogley1992 10h ago
Yeah, same as car jackers aren't generally living the best lives, doesn't mean I could give a shit about their well being.
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u/zentasynoky 12h ago
And yet, higher level morals is a privilege of those with their most basic needs met.
Humans are still animals, and animals hunt down animals. It's not cruelty on their end. It's survival.
Fuck them, but only because I'm lucky enough to be able to afford sympathy for other living creatures.
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u/Hilluja 12h ago
When science gets that far we need an elephant speech translator. There are so many stories to share.
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u/simonjester523 12h ago
"...and then humans killed my entire family and cut off their tusks."
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u/Traditional_Yard2741 11h ago
One of the most heartbreaking moments of my life was seeing the video of a close up of a humpbacks eye. That video was taken of a specific whale, her name was sweet girl, and just weeks after that video was taken she was hit by a ship, and the entire front of her face was severed off. But this wasn't enough to kill her. She slowly bled to death from her horrific injuries.
Somehow that felt worse than whaling. At least whaling was deliberate. Sweet girl was killed by our indifference, just collateral damage in our pathological need to maximise profit margins. We're placed on earth at the same time as these ancient, beautiful, intelligent beings and we just plowed straight over her because slowing the ships increases shipping times and the shareholders might not get as much return.
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u/No-End-2455 12h ago
Unfortunately for them we do.....
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u/AnishTSP 12h ago
The reason you're able to see videos of those wonderful creatures is because of humans
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u/No-End-2455 7h ago
i could live without seeing videos of them if humain kind leave them to be.
what is even that logic really ?
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u/an_actual_coyote 11h ago
We live in a miraculous cycle of life. Cherish and protect your neighbors large and small.
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u/WhovianScaper 13h ago
That’s Big Mac! His tusks are iconic. He’s a hat-stealing favorite; love him so much.
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u/LikeIsaidItsNothing 12h ago
The more I see elephant videos , how smart, funny, aware they are, the more it breaks my heart what some of the human animal does to them. Why they haven't pushed more of us off the earth is a wonder. They're too good for us
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u/smalllittlefreak 12h ago
They're my favorite animal. So smart and empathetic. So so many animals are more intelligent and emotive than people think, look at pigs and cows and sheep and stuff. Even fish are way smarter than most ppl assume, they have some memory and are even known to play. I just love animals, I wish more people would take time to appreciate that we share the planet with them
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u/MlDNlGHTMARE 8h ago
I feel the same, but I'm also happy that every time there are videos of animals on Reddit that the comment sections are full of people worried for them. Knowing that humans are destroying the planet irreparably, for creatures that do not deserve it, is a heavy weight to carry. I'm glad that I'm not alone and that others see them and appreciate them the way I do. We are not worthy. The world needs more elephants and fewer humans.
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u/__zrx 11h ago
Not too be that "vegan guy" guy as it's kind of a serious question that your comment made me realize : isn't that how most people become vegetarian or vegans ? Seeing loads of videos about how beautiful and intelligent a lot of animals are or spending time with some versus the cruel things humans do to them ?
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u/6-Toed_SlothApe 9h ago
I actually became that "vegetarian guy" because of the videos of factory farming and how livestock is treated. Theoretically I'm fine with free-range farms and hunting for food, because humans are after all by nature omnivores. Im not trying to up-end the natural order, I just don't like that millions of animals spend their entire lives in a disgusting nightmarish hell just so you can get a burger.
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u/NachoEvans 8h ago
While I do tend to agree with you on a morality standpoint, I think there are far too many people now to support everyone who eats meat hunting for their food. I envision multiple species being wiped out, probably quickly.
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u/XPsychoMunkyX 12h ago
Opposable thumbs 🤷
But seriously, if life were fair and balanced, that’s what should’ve happened . . .
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u/CileTheSane 10h ago
> how smart, funny, aware they are
I don't disagree, but the elephant is specifically trained to do this. There is no situation where humans can pose with an elephant for a picture that isn't ultimately some form of abuse.
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u/Mr_wise_guy7 13h ago
And here we have a human child wearing a bucket hat. A gentle 'y o i n k'. ~Elephant Garrett
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u/Brave-Ice-9875 13h ago
I haven't seen an elephant in this kind of shot, they're so amazingly big.
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u/lankymjc 12h ago
I’ve been to a zoo where they kept a replica of a Mammoth next to the elephants. Those things were fucking enormous!
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u/BakedBrie1993 12h ago
Rode on one once (yes it was unethical, I was a child). It was awesome and they are massive.
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u/udiHosting 11h ago
Imagine being one of the largest land animals on Earth and using all that power to play harmless little pranks on children. Elephants really are something special.
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u/vedanshagrawal 9h ago
I like how they're portrayed in the jungle book. Wise, old and strong. Even sher khan doesn't dare to mess with them.
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u/vonneguts_anus 12h ago
You buy a hat like that I bet you get a free bowl of soup
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u/Embarrassed-Touch-62 12h ago
Good thing it wasn't abused to do those tricks. As far as I read already, this one is a zoo animal and feels comfortable around humans and interacts with them on its own terms. Free to walk away whenever it wants to.
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u/kholekardashian12 10h ago
Ok I good cause I wondering how they trained the elephant to do that. But if it's just being a silly goose on it's own accord, I can enjoy it lol
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u/Gaussgoat 12h ago
I will never understand how anyone can hunt these creatures.
Elephants are, easily, one of the coolest things on this planet. They must be protected at all costs.
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u/CMDR_ETNC 8h ago
Elephants wag their ears like dogs wag their tails??
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u/ThewizardBlundermore 7h ago
Technically it's a means to keep them cool. They're essentially a giant radiator
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u/pseudoportmanteau 6h ago
No, but they definitely use them to communicate. If you've ever seen a charging elephant, for example, you'll notice the ears are very perked forward, as if they are saying "come at me bro". In this instance, I would read this as open arms kind of friendly ear language.
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u/CMDR_ETNC 6h ago
Ears went wild during the initial mischief of stealing the hat, then again when the big puppy gave it back 😂
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u/exotics 5h ago
Fun fact about dogs. They don’t wag them to show happiness. They wag them to spread their scent and will wag at different speeds or postures according to their mood
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u/Nexus_Neo 11h ago
Are its tusks supposed to cross?
Like... is that a normal, healthy thing, i mean.
Hope nothings wrong with it.
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u/Open_Chemistry_3300 9h ago
They’re not suppose to, but apparently it’s kinda of like human teeth. They’re a little messed up but they’re fine the elephant learns and adapts. The only time it can be a real problem is in really really bad cases when it gets in the way of eating a the like.
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u/miempiemaker 12h ago
Is it just me or does anyone else find this child getting this close to an African elephant kind of disturbing
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u/kkkhhjdyhrthhhjft 10h ago
The way she's posed with a bucket hat thats clearly too big for her head makes me think this is some sort of paid experience and the elephant is trained to do this. There's that viral clip from like 15 years ago of an elephant doing exactly this to a guy
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u/Delicious-Thought404 7h ago
This is probably a “tame” elephant at a tourist location, they are often trained to “take” someone’s hat and give it back.
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u/Making2025 6h ago
And the training often involves abuse of the calf. There are positive-reinforcement techniques used more nowadays, but how can you tell what was used from a clip like this?
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u/Wareve 6h ago
Does it really matter today what was used at the time, so long as now they have fixed the issue?
I don't think elephants have a concept of reparative justice, and these tourists are what fund the conservation efforts that keep the elephants alive.
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u/Mr_Halitosis 6h ago
Hitting the animal is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement means adding something, which can include adding hitting them. Negative reinforcement means taking something away. It has never been meant as a moral barometer.
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u/DrowAboveground 5h ago
It’s actually called positive punishment when you’re hitting, as you either reinforce the behavior or punish it by adding or subtracting something.
Negative reinforcement would be like removing a chore from the chore list for a good grade, or letting someone out of jail early for good behavior. You’re reinforcing the behavior you want by removing adverse conditions.
Negative punishment is like making someone go to bed without dinner or restricting screen time. You’re taking something away as a response to behavior you don’t want to see.
Positive reinforcement is like when I give my dog treats for sitting and staying when I tell her to.
Positive punishment, ironically, would be something like spanking- adding an adverse condition in response to behavior you don’t want to see.
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u/ghanima 11h ago
I'm Canadian and it never ceases to amaze me how unaware of the danger of wild animals the average person on this planet seems to be. I guess so many people live away from wildlife that they don't understand the inherent risks(?)
The fucking geese in our cities will kill you if they get the chance.
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u/IndustrialSlicer 10h ago
we're dead the moment we're born, there's just a delay
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u/Rubber_Knee 10h ago
Let me tell you about the most dangerous activity known to man. It's called being alive. Anyone who ever tried it ended up dead. Not single person has ever survived it.
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u/CrustyBollox 11h ago
This specific elephant was hand raised on a wildlife conservancy.
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u/Ordinary_Prune6135 8h 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 7h 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 6h 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/ALL_of_YOU_are_DUMB 6h ago
Your comment is an oxymoron by definition. You're a Canadian so what do you know about elephants, living among urban geese, and suddenly you're an authority on how people should act around elephants? The "geese in our cities will kill you" is a ridiculous statement. You're literally criticizing people for not understanding animals while making nonsensical claims about animals yourself. The irony is almost impressive. Also, you can see a trainer or an instructor next to the child as well as multiple shadows so wtf? Imo you are the one who is oblivious
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u/CardiologistQuiet907 5h ago
Welcome to reddit brother. That is essentially all of the discourse that happens here on this site. Everyone here needs to feel smart and are completely open to conjecture, anecdotal evidence, and vibes. Then these vibe based arguments get repated by others because they sound good to the point that many others believe it to be true.
so in this guy's brain the fact that he interacts with geese in Canada totally gives him some kind of leeway to fantasize about how elephants behave in fucking Africa. And because of that, he feels confident to speak up and criticize others, all while not even realizing he's actually the dumb one. This literally happens all over reddit.
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u/TheWeirdShape 12h ago
Glad I'm not the only one. This 'lovely' beast can kill this child in an instant in multiple ways
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u/Uncommented-Code 11h ago
No. I would also find it disturbing if it was an adult /s
But no seriously, an elephant can easily just fold youin half, then fold you in half again, anytime it wants. They could easily break a lot of bones just kicking you. Go read reports of what they can do to the human body, you'd be amazed at how powerful they are.
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u/RandumbStoner 12h ago
I like how it was like "What hat are you talking about? I'm just gonna graze on this grass right here and...naah jk here's your hat gotcha!"
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u/mediocre_megs 12h ago
someone please tell me this is cute. it looks cute, with my limited knowledge of elephants the animal doesn't seem injured/subjugated. is it cute??? am I allowed to like this?????
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u/CrustyBollox 11h ago
I believe this is Big Mak, who lives on the Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy in Zimbabwe. That brother is chillin', don't worry!
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u/ProfessorJAM 6h ago
Love how the elephant pretends to be ‘looking’ for the hat! Great level of intelligence and awareness ( and comedy!) there
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u/GeneralEffective 12h ago
The little one was so calm about it, bless her! That's a core memory there
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u/DancesWithInkPens 11h ago
African elephants can be pretty spicy. I would not put a small child near one.
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u/rybread_1995 7h ago
Elephants are so cool. They are self aware with keen emotional intelligence. The fact they can remember humans who have either helped or harmed them and mourn their dead, they are definitely sentient as much as humans. Such beautiful creatures 😍
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u/Revaesaari 10h ago
Would I risk having my daughter by a 6 tonne, highly intelligent animal that MIGHT have a lousy morningmm Nah
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u/ManlyPelican1993 9h ago
Can't live like that dude, every time you get in a car your trusting the other drivers are decent. I've seen similar videos to this so it seems like a bit the elephant does likely for food.
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u/ActivePeace33 8h ago
Exactly. People don’t understand the risk they take driving and can’t cope with the fact that it is more dangerous than so many other things they fear.
Putting your kid in a car seat and going down the freeway is more dangerous. Most seats are not tested beyond 30 miles an hour and only a few at 35 miles an hour.
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u/chesterjosiah 12h ago
Yo did this guy just perform a magic trick? That hat was GONE there for a second!
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u/Original_Log_6002 11h ago
Watch the elephants eye. It's waiting for her reaction when it acts like it just ate her hat and went back to "eating". All adults like to see a child smile.
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u/Raneynickelfire 11h ago
Look at the elephants eye. He NEVER looks away from her, and is making sure she's reacting.
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u/NothingToSay__1 6h ago
This only proves how intelligent they are and that animals definitely feel emotions like us
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u/CharleyDexterWard 12h ago
What if the elephant thought some kid was wearing a hat but they actually weren't and then accidentally just popped their head off?
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u/JohnnySmithe81 11h ago
Not sure about you, but I've never accidentally ripped the head off any very small animals I've held in my life time.
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u/EngineeringFew9750 11h ago
I read somewhere that elephants view humans like we view cats and dogs (probably puppy in this case)
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u/the_rat_castle 11h ago
I love the little side eye
'What, I got nothing. The hat, ate it. All gone.'
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u/Every-Physics-843 11h ago
We need to just leave these beautiful animals the fuck alone.
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u/4RealHughMann 13h ago
Animal abuse shouldn't make people smile
https://www.worldanimalprotection.org/latest/news/cruel-elephant-training-process-crush-exposed/
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u/Spirited-Ad655 12h ago
Has the elephant in this video been through this sort of training?
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u/Pataconeitor 12h ago
Probably, yeah. It's quite clearly a tourist spot where you can pay to get a photo op with an elephant who was been trained to do "cute" things. And while it's possible to train an elephant without mistreatment, the alternative is easier and quicker for the people who want to make a buck out of the animal.
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u/CrustyBollox 11h ago
This elephant isn't abused. He was hand raised on a wildlife conservancy in Zimbabwe after being orphaned. The people are conservationists.
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u/Sutech2301 12h ago
Yes. Wild elephants aren't save to be around from that short distance. They are aggressive towards humans
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u/galacticsquirrel22 12h ago
They’re only aggressive towards humans if they feel threatened. They’re generally pretty calm. They’re super smart, so they know if they’re in danger around a human.
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u/Caridor 11h ago
This elephant is called Big Mac and lives in Zimbabwe. He was not abused but was raised by humans. He's widely known as a gentle giant.
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u/CrustyBollox 11h ago
This elephant isn't abused. He was hand raised on a wildlife conservancy in Zimbabwe after being orphaned. The people are conservationists.
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u/Smart-Firefighter87 12h ago
Nah - leave them alone. Humans have caused enough damage to these beautiful mammals already.
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u/ImurderREALITY 12h ago
This is an animal sanctuary in Zimbabwe where they are protected. They saved this orphaned elephant, because if they hadn’t, he would have died in the wild. It’s not wrong to try to care for the animals left in the destructive wake of poachers. No one is whipping and torturing this elephant to do this for people; he’s just a goofy, friendly fella.
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u/XPsychoMunkyX 12h ago
Not every animal video is depicting some kind of abuse . . .
I would encourage you to do some research on this elephant, why he is where he is, and what his life is like . . . BEFORE making sanctimonious comments online for internet points 🤣✌🏼
(Big Mac in Zimbabwe)
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u/CantaloupeOne7283 2h ago
I was at the Opel Zoo in Germany as a kid in the 80s and an elephant took my entire bag of popcorn. He didnt give it back. He didnt eat it either. Just kinda smashed the bag and exploded the popcorn all over the ground. Like fuck me in particular...
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u/Hegeric 8h ago edited 8h ago
Oh my fucking god. Can't have one wholesome interaction without the redditoids doing mental gymnastics for potential abuse and tiny risks of bad things happening in touristic areas. Every single time.
But obviously this is less actual concern and more like virtue signalling.
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u/Ehhitiswhatitis 12h ago
This made me terrified. Who puts a toddler next to a wild animal.
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u/Aesthete18 12h ago
I want to believe this is the elephant's natural playfulness with the kid rather than abused to learn this trick
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u/Single-Jack8 12h ago
I looove elephants! They're not only adorable but incredibly smart too. I've read that they can remember people who treated them kindly, even years later.
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u/ILoveTheGirls1 11h ago
Is it just me or does anyone else see another animal run in on the left side of the frame near the end, and the ranger quickly getting the girl out of there?
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u/Junior_Two_1161 10h ago
It's another example of governments having humor how interesting they can be Paul db 🥸
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u/Yellow_Blue_Jet 10h ago
This elephant switched “or I’ll eat my own hat” into “or I’ll eat your hat.”
But then “actually, nevermind.”
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u/ImTooSaxy 10h ago
This is adorable, and I love elephants, but I would never put my child in this situation because it's still a wild animal and accidents can and do happen.
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