In such a situation what is the proper form of greeting? When the elephant holds up his trunk near your face you are supposed to blow into it. That registers your smell in his memory and he will know you in the future.
If You Happen to Meet an Elephant
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"In such a situation what is the proper form of greeting?"
Back in the days of the Bell Telephone company you would first give the elephant a dime, then gently pick up its nasal appendage and speak into it. This was what was known as a trunk call.
Today's elephants are equipped with smellular telephones, so the procedure is the same, except that you no longer need to provide a dime.
Back in the days of the Bell Telephone company you would first give the elephant a dime, then gently pick up its nasal appendage and speak into it. This was what was known as a trunk call.
Today's elephants are equipped with smellular telephones, so the procedure is the same, except that you no longer need to provide a dime.
I had the privilege of repainting part of the elephant pen as a volunteer at the NC Zoo while in college. The resident bull elephant was in "musth", and was in a field isolated from the general population until the mating season was over. The zoo keeper brought me to the fence line to observe the animal. Upon seeing me, the elephant raised his trunk and slung a rope of thick, black snot directly onto my shirt and face. The zoo keeper informed me the substance was "rut fluid", and I had been doused because the elephant saw me as a threat to his dominance. I was at once honored to have been considered a threat (a man is judged by the quality of this enemies, no?), and immensely thankful for the moat and fence that prevented the elephant from fully expressing his displeasure. :
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I believe social convention decrees that meeting an elephant is very much like meeting a bear when one is armed with less than adequate fire power. One should do as the elephant, or bear, desires. Blow in his nose, kiss his ass, curtsey, anything which would keep the animal docile should be acceptable. Such behavior on your part should also be practiced when making the acquaintance of a water buffalo, Chuck Norris, and the like.
Creatures have such sophisticated sniffers. The elephant likely not only recognizes you on a second meeting, but learns about you from your scent -- possibly age, health, diet, and maybe other subtle things more relevant to elephants. It always fascinates me to watch cats "read the paper" on my slacks and shoes after I've been away from the house. They learn a lot about where I've been and what was there.
My lab has a few places where he daily checks his "pmail" and leaves replies. The gentle breath towards a horse's nose is a quick way of introducing yourself. Just a gentle breath, actually blowing up a horse's nose might result in an entirely different reaction than you were seeking.
I really can't remember the last time I saw an elephant in the wild up here. I swear I saw a mastodon once. Turns out Guinness will cause such sights. And, I do know where a leprechaun hangs about. Damned near had that pot o' gold.
Cob: I saw a video of an older woman who runs an orphanage for baby elephants in Africa. They die after a few days without mother's milk. This woman figured out a mixture they will drink and takes care of them until they are older. I do not remember her name.
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