Elephants are not beautiful.
That trunk (!) almost makes them comical looking.

Bet you didn’t know that the funny looking trunk has 40,000 muscles.

With their trunk the elephant can lift incredible weight. They can also pick up something as small a peanut and peel it before eating it.

You might as well know now that peanuts are not an elephant’s favorite treat.
They don’t even like them!

Elephants can’t jump.

The elephant is the largest land mammal in the world but they’re almost silent when they walk.

Elephants are afraid of bees.
That’s right. Bees!

Only female elephants are in a herd.
The oldest female elephant is in charge.
She has the most experience.
She is the boss.

The young male elephants leave the herd when they’re about 15 years old.

An elephant can recognize another elephant after decades of separation.
Elephants never forget.

Elephants hug with their trunks as a greeting.

Only a lion has a chance in battle with an elephant.

Elephants have proven their intelligence by recognizing themselves in a mirror.

Interesting how that was proven.
An ‘X’ was painted on the head of an elephant.
Looking at herself in a mirror, the elephant touched the ‘X’ on her head.
This proved that the elephant knew she was looking at a reflection of herself.

Because elephants are so smart, humans can easily train them.
This is a good thing if the training is to help people.

It is not a good thing to teach elephants to do dumb party tricks.

It was only a few years ago that a circus came to town.
It’s a tradition that the elephants are paraded down Main Street.
I was there. 
It broke my heart to see these magnificent elephants wearing stupid cowboy hats.
I wanted to cry.

Elephant tusks are actually the elephant’s canine teeth.

Elephant mothers are pregnant for 22 months and the babies weigh almost 300 pounds. Whew!

All the herd help to raise a baby elephant. ‘It takes a village…’

Elephants mourn and grieve when one dies.

Elephants talk to each other.
They hear each other through vibrations in the ground.
Their rumblings are too low for humans to hear.

The elephant, my spirit animal, is regal, intelligent, brave and caring.

I, too, am afraid of bees.

– Sue Williams