elephant behavior

Everyone Goes Exploring In Unexpected Places

Most of the elephants here at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil have spots that they enjoy in each yard. Sometimes they get into a pattern of staying in the same spots at roughly the same times of the day during particular parts of the season. Out of practicality, there are some things…...

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EleFact Friday: A Noise By Any Other Name

Happy EleFACT Friday. This week, we are going to explore the types of noises that elephants make and how they make them. Elephants produce a wide variety of sounds, and each can mean different things to different herd members (or humans in sanctuary). The sound many people often associate with…...

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Bambi and Rana’s Evolving Relationship

Since her arrival, Bambi has been a colorful example of how dynamics among elephants in sanctuary can shift with the entrance of a new individual. Not only are new relationships formed, but relationships that already exist between elephants who have known each other for years can also change. Every individual…...

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Maia is Taking It Slowly

Maia continues to wander on her own these days, but remains curious about what the other ladies are doing. She is still spending some relaxing time with Rana, but has been watching Mara, Bambi, and Rana together, just at a distance. On a recent night, Maia was near the barn…...

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EleFact Friday – Sleepy Elephants Do Lie Down

For last week’s EleFACT Friday, we talked about the hearts of elephants, and we mentioned that their heart rates actually speed up when they are lying down and resting. This week, we want to talk about the common falsehood that elephants cannot lie down for long periods of time, like…...

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Caregiver Training and Mateus’ Growth

Training to become an elephant caregiver is a slow and intricate process. You have to commit to learning practices that are specific to elephants and you also have to be willing to watch, listen, and allow yourself to be vulnerable with the elephants in order to be attuned to their…...

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