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VOLUME UP for vocalizations. Recently, you may have seen a video on some of our social media channels that showed a driving storm at the sanctuary. We’ve officially reached the beginning of the rainy season, which means that everyone (caregivers included) is going to be wet for several months. Our daily rain storms like to roll in when it’s time to feed the elephants dinner. It’s a nice relief from the intensity of the dry season, and there’s less of a chance for fires–like the one we experienced 5 years ago–to spread. We humans tend to seek shelter when it storms, just like cats and dogs and other domesticated animals. Many of you asked what the elephants do during a shower, so this week’s EleFact will focus on how they tend to react to the downpours we regularly get at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil during this time of year.

The elephants who live at sanctuary have lived captive lives in various environments with different types of weather. For instance, Mato Grosso, where we are located, gets wetter weather than places like Mendoza, where Kenya and Guillermina lived for decades. For that reason, they might not be used to frequent storms. Kenya had an interesting reaction during our first big rainfall; she walked around with her trunk up, sensing the change of weather on the way. She walked into the trees initially, but soon found her way back into the yard, as did Pupy. Both seemed to enjoy the mud that accompanied the rain and spent the rest of the afternoon outside. 

As for the Asian elephants, they all seem to love a shower. Their behaviors often get extra silly when the weather gets wet, and some of their favorite activities are splashing in the pond, playing in the dirt, or trumpeting loudly in celebration. If they’re not in the mood, they walk into the woods and stay dry under the tree canopy. Dirt and rain make for excellent exfoliation, and elephants love scratching, be it against a tree or another elephant. The wet weather will greatly help Kenya shed some of the dead layers of skin that have built up over the years. The girls have access to their respective barns, but they almost never head there when the thunderstorms start. 

Before their arrival, we were told that several of these elephants didn’t like water, but that’s not something we’ve witnessed. What we have seen is a lack of trust when humans use water on them. When the water comes from mother nature, whether it’s a light drizzle, a torrential downpour, or a thunderstorm, the elephants are generally out enjoying themselves, maybe solo or with some friends. Though we often have a desire to protect them, they are still wild animals and don’t really need us as much as we would like to be needed.

P.S.: This is an update of an older video, but it’s one that we love, showing that even the grandmas who live at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil know how to get silly in the rain. Rana and Bambi are trumpeting and rumbling and running around, appreciating the cool shower that makes everything feel lighter.