Elephants, the New Humans

Elephants, commonly known for their substantial ears and their ivory tusks, have
fascinated humans for many years. Many people hear tales of an elephants great memory
or their phobia of mice. Maybe you might have heard about the constant efforts to rid
poachers who are after their valuable ivory. Or you might remember cartoons that have
elephants as major or minor characters. However you hear about them, elephants are
important, and we are beginning to understand what they truly are.
But what are elephants? These wandering behemoths live in the continents of
Asia and Africa and are in the proboscidea family, which includes the now-extinct woolly
mammoth and the american mastodon. They have a trunk that they use to do many useful
things such as: drinking, smelling, and to grab objects. Many people do not know why
they have large ears, which allow them to stay cooler in the hot weather and doesnt
allow them to fly (Frequently Asked Questions about Elephants). Elephants are
herbivores, but can still be dangerous to us, due to their size and strength. They are also
one of the many natural attractions in Africa and Asia. Humans have used them for war,
food, and also entertainment. But are they just the Dumbos that we have portrayed them
to be?
Elephants can live for more than 65 years in the wild and reach sexual maturity in
their teen years. They are not born with survival instincts and need to be taught by their
elders. Herds consist of females and their young, and when the males become older they
leave their herd. The males wander about and sometimes come back to their herd for a
short period of time before they leave. Elephants in the herd recognize others that have
left with ease (Landon). Elephants can also become lonely; like an elephant named Susi

who had become depressed following the death of her female companion Alicia. Susi
began to eat her own excrement and swaying her head and trunk from side to side
(Govan).
Humans are very alike elephants, for example, the average age of a human is
around 65 years, and they become sexually mature in their teens. Humans are also taught
a lot by their elders, which decides the future of humanity. We have an easier time
recognizing something compared to some animals, and can fall into depression in a blink
of an eye. If you look at it this way you can see that elephants are very humain. They
grieve, and can cry just like humans can, allowing them to be very much alike humans
emotionally.
A study recently proved that elephants also can recognize themselves in mirrors.
The three elephants that were tested on displayed consistent reactions to the open mirror
and mark test. The reactions included bringing food in front of the mirror, and rhythmic
head movements. These reactions are similar to those of dolphins and primates, and are
not present with the mirror. Which tells us that elephants have the capability of
recognizing themselves which is something that only a few animals such as dolphins can
do (Plotnik, Joshua M., Frans B. M. de Waal, and Diana Reiss).
Elephants have also been proven to become wiser with age. In a study, elephants
were put into groups, and would play a recording of someone talking. This resulted in the
elephant groups that contained older elephants did the best at assessing threats from the
speakers. They have been able to distinguish human languages and decide if they are a
threat or not. They even have developed warning calls to tell others that humans are in or
around the area. Lori Marino, an expert in animal intelligence says that "They can not

only make some distinctions between us, but we are now on their list of species to watch
out for" (Elephants Can Tell Gender, Ethnicity in Human Voices).
Elephants have become very intelligent, and this intelligence allows humans to be
closely related to them. With our actions against elephants, we have become an unwanted
threat on wild elephants; with our constant poaching and destruction of their natural
habitat. This is horrible for both species, because later in the future elephants may
become smarter than we are, and could end up being the humans of the future. Their near
extinction has almost destroyed that future.
A good percentage of humans say that we are the only intelligent beings in this
world, but they are wrong. Elephants may not be as advanced as we are but they are as
smart, if not smarter than we are. Elephants can understand us in ways, and they can do
something that is difficult for most of the animal kingdom. Something we take for
granted every day; being able to recognize ourselves. Elephants could just be the large
eared, behemoth, underdeveloped versions of humans.
In the religion of Hinduism, the god Ganesha is one of the many gods. Ganesha is
called the lord of beginnings and is vital to the religion (Ganesha, Lord of
Beginnings.). This god has the head of an elephant with a red trident on its trunk. Its
four human arms carrying various things, and its two human legs resting on the floor as
Ganesha sits. In most depictions there is a missing tusk and a mouse at its feet as well.
Although there is an Asian legend that explains why Ganesha has an elephant head; this
depiction could tell us the future, for us and the world.
Elephants may be huge, walking and trumpeting meat sacks to us, but they are intelligent
beings, and we need to begin to respect them like we would ourselves. Whether or not one has

larger ears, or is more advanced than the other. Animals that have similar qualities should be
treated like humans and not some piece of food that makes noise, sleeps, eats, and runs. They
could be what stops us from destroying ourselves and the world. The killing of elephants could
be considered the end of that possible future. This genocide could be what begins our extinction
event, in a way we would never expect.