Mara Peels and Trades a Banana! ?

Mara peels a banana with her trunk, and politely hands the peel to Kat.

Many of you asked for a video of Mara peeling a banana, and others have asked for a video of Mara trading. Delightfully, this video has both.

When Mara first arrived, she peeled her bananas, which is something our team has never seen an elephant do before. We have known a few that peel oranges (including Mara). Shortly after arriving, she stopped peeling her bananas and began eating them whole. We suspect that part of the reason she did it at the Ecoparque was due to boredom. Once she arrived at the sanctuary, and had access to elephant friends, grazing, ponds, trees, and more, she didn’t want to take the few seconds to peel them. We’ve seen her do it twice since – once a few weeks ago, and then the day this video was taken. She peeled the first banana we gave her during her training session, so when we gave her another one a few minutes later, we started recording in case she did it again.

We did not expect her to hand the peel back to trade for something better, but she regularly continues to show us new ways in which she is ridiculously charming.

August 26, 2020

Comments(15)

Nancy Shaw says
August 26, 2020 at 4:13 pm
Don’t you feel lucky ?!!
arie says
August 26, 2020 at 4:34 pm
OMG! Mara is sò handy, sorry, so trunky ?❤️
Debbie Sides says
August 26, 2020 at 4:43 pm
That is the cutest sweetest thing I’ve ever seen!
Wim says
August 26, 2020 at 5:15 pm
Wow sweet amazing Miss MARA it’s astonishing all the things you do. Please give us some more masterclasses they are really heartwarming. Enjoy your treats please.
???
Heidi says
August 26, 2020 at 5:52 pm
I had no idea an elephant could do that! So amazing. What a smart girl.
Rachel says
August 26, 2020 at 6:31 pm
The peeling is incredible to watch, but trading her peel for an extra treat was a bonus!! So happy for her…❤️
Paula says
August 26, 2020 at 6:44 pm
Es fascinante la destreza de la trompa de Mara!
Desde el día que comentaste que Mara pelaba bananas, yo tenía tantas ganas de ver eso! Es admirable las habilidades del ” brazo y dedo” de un elefante.
Mara comerciando al final….es simplemente muy tierno y gracioso❤
Lila Nieto says
August 26, 2020 at 6:52 pm
Awwww nooooo, Mara!!!! I can’t believe this! She is so intelligent! So charming! Awwwwww…. Lovely!!!!! Totally lovely!!!!
Sue says
August 26, 2020 at 7:50 pm
Faster and better at it than me, that is for sure! Love the trade!!!!! ❤️?❤️?❤️
Alana says
August 26, 2020 at 8:52 pm
I’m impressed!Smarty Pants. Can these 4 elephants be any more endearing? I don’t think so. Thanks for taking this amazing video.
Bo says
August 27, 2020 at 12:39 am
So lovely, so amazing, so cute…so handy!
I too had no idea they were able to be so elegant and handy at peeling, and so fast.
Waw, lovely video, thank you!!!
Rosie P says
August 27, 2020 at 3:51 am
Incredible! Absolutely charming and endearing. I can watch this video over and over again. Two lovely beings together…Kat and Mara….sharing a moment that is so poignant. A fair exchange, a banana skin for another piece of fruit.
I just have to show my family and friends this footage. Fabulous!
Sheila says
August 27, 2020 at 4:50 am
Oh mara u big sweet trader? u r so sweet aand lovely! So smart?oh ill bet she gets more fruit at ges brazil too! She is amazing! She sure maneuvers that banana ?peel well! And i was her intention to get another fruit. Yes this mara is very special! I thought we would get some squeeks too but? Not today! ❤️? mara is marvellous
Sallie says
August 28, 2020 at 1:22 am
Such talent! What an amazing girl! So, what else can she peel? Cannot wait to see more of miss mara’s skills!
JoAnn Merriman Eaton says
August 28, 2020 at 3:01 am
Mara !!! YOU are just too cute for words. I would just love to take that sweet face and kiss it all over!?♥️

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