Elephants

Rembrandt created this sketch of Hansken, an Asian elephant brought to Europe from Sri Lanka, in 1637.

The Tragic Life of Hansken, 'Rembrandt's Elephant'

A new show at the Rembrandt House Museum in Amsterdam explores the story of an animal who fascinated the Dutch artist

After analyzing the mitochondrial genome, the team discovered that the island-dwelling elephant is the descendant of straight-tusked elephants and was possibly isolated on Sicily between 50,000 and 175,500 years ago.

Ancient Elephants the Size of Shetland Ponies Once Roamed Sicily

The animals' size reduction is comparable to if humans were to shrink down to the size of a rhesus monkey

An aerial photo taken on June 5, 2021 shows the herd of Asian elephants in the Jinning District of Kunming, a populous city located in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

A Herd of 15 Elephants Is Wandering North Across China—and Nobody Knows Why

Experts are unsure why the group began its journey, which now spans more than 300 miles, or where it will end

An African elephant gives itself a dust bath by blasting dirt from its trunk.

Elephant Trunks Can Suck Water at 330 Miles Per Hour

A new study puts impressive numbers to some of the elephant trunk's many feats

Cher stands with Kaavan, the elephant she helped rescue.

How Cher Helped Rescue the World's Loneliest Elephant

A new documentary follows the five year struggle to save an elephant named Kaavan from abuse—and seeks to inspire similar efforts around the world

The team's findings reflect the toll of the ivory trade and habitat destruction.

Ivory From 16th-Century Shipwreck Yields Clues to African Elephants' Decline

Researchers extracted DNA from tusks found in the wreckage of the "Bom Jesus," a treasure-laden vessel that sank in 1533

An African forest elephant makes its way out into the open.

How Humans Benefit From a Highway of Trails Created by African Forest Elephants

The paths the pachyderms make aid plants, other animals, and local people—whose way of life is threatened by the species’ decline

Elephants Kelly Ann and Mable are eligible to move to the White Oak Conservation Center north of Jacksonville, Florida.

Retired Circus Elephants to Move to 2,500-Acre Wildlife Refuge Next Year

Since 2016, about 30 elephants have lived in a 200-acre enclosure managed by Ringling Bros. circus

Poachers are considered unlikely culprits because the dead elephants retained their ivory tusks, which fetch top dollar on the black market.

Toxic Algae Caused Mysterious Widespread Deaths of 330 Elephants in Botswana

Officials say the pachyderms were killed by blooms of the organisms, which polluted pools of drinking water with neurotoxins

An elephant in the southeast Okavango Delta, Botswana in 2019

Experts Aren’t Sure Why Botswana's Elephants Are Dying by the Hundreds

After being slowed by the global pandemic, tests are now underway

In Africa, ivory has been a status symbol because it comes from elephants, a highly respected animal, and because it is fairly easy to carve into works of art.

Why Is Ivory So Precious? And More Questions From Our Readers

You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts

Shanthi, who readily participated in hundreds of behavioral and biological research studies, will be remembered for her unrivaled contribution to conservation efforts.

National Zoo Mourns Beloved Member of Its Herd

The 45-year-old Asian elephant Shanthi was one of the most studied in the world

Elephants are missing a gene to digest alcohol, which might mean they probably can't handle their liquor.

Despite Folklore, Elephants Might Be Lightweights When It Comes to Booze

New study finds elephants lack a genetic mutation that allows humans to efficiently break down alcohol

This fresco by Jacopo Ripanda depicts Hannibal crossing the Alps in 218 B.C. New research claims to have located the site of the general's first major victory in Spain.

The Ancient Battlefield That Launched the Legend of Hannibal

Two years before the Carthaginian general crossed the Alps, he won a decisive victory at the Battle of the Tagus

In a release the Zoo reported that last week: “Keepers noticed that Ambika’s right-front leg, which bore the brunt of her weight, developed a curve that weakened her ability to stand. Though she had some good days and some bad days, staff grew concerned when she chose not to explore her habitat."

National Zoo Mourns Death of Asian Elephant

The 72-year-old animal was the third oldest in the North American population

Ecologist and Smithsonian associate Aung Myo Chit soothes an elephant in Myanmar after it was fitted with a collar.

Researchers Are Learning How Asian Elephants Think—in Order to Save Them

As the pachyderms increasingly clash with farmers and villagers over disappearing land, scientists study the way the animals' minds work

You can now a book a stay in Lucy the Elephant.

Spend a Night in This 65-Foot-Tall, Elephant-Shaped Airbnb

Keen travelers can pay $138 to spend a night inside Lucy the Elephant, a 138-year-old six-story structure on the Jersey Shore

Two surviving elephants were trapped on a small cliff at the waterfall at Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand.

Six Elephants Die After Plummeting Down a Waterfall in Thailand

It is believed that five adults lost their lives while trying to save a calf

A German Circus Uses Stunning Holograms Instead of Live Animal Performers

Circus Roncalli is preserving the tradition of animal acts while eliminating concerns of animal cruelty

Lots of snacks, please.

Elephants Use Smell to Sniff Out Snack Quantities

When presented with two lidded buckets containing sunflower seeds, elephants seemed able to choose the one with more food

Page 2 of 6