nPostednAugust 12, 2013
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BothnAsian and African elephants are endangered. Habitat destruction andnespecially the ivory trade have drastically reduced populations ofnthese magnificent and intelligent creatures. But people are trying tonhelp elephants. In Thailand, elephants have been returned to forests,nwhere they evolved to live before so many were pressed into servicenfor human beings.
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nHopefully their numbers will rebound again!
BothnAsian and African elephants are endangered. Habitat destruction andnespecially the ivory trade have drastically reduced populations ofnthese magnificent and intelligent creatures. But people are trying tonhelp elephants. In Thailand, elephants have been returned to forests,nwhere they evolved to live before so many were pressed into servicenfor human beings. n
nHopefully their numbers will rebound again!
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nChecknout the official World Elephant Day website.nThere is a trailer for a movie, elephant facts, and more! n
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nDidnyou know…?
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nElephantsn are the largest land animals on Earth—up to 13 feet (4 m) tall atn the shoulder and 14,000 pounds (6,350 kg)!
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Liken I said, elephants are very smart. They play—like when they sprayn themselves and others with water sucked up into their trunks. Theyn also use crude tools such as chewed-bark balls as sponges for water.n Elephants have been seen dropping rocks onto an electric fence ton break it down and cut off the electricity.n
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Elephantsn are the only animals other than humans known to have any ritualsn about death. They stand in a silent circle around their deadn companion for a day or two, each one leaving for a quick drink butn then returning until the mourning is over. Many times scientistsn have observed elephants gently touching the dead body with theirn trunks, and, once they are certain that the elephant is really dead,n covering the body with dirt, leaves, and even branches. Elephantsn often go back to visit the exact spot where family members haven died, and people have often noticed elephants tenderly and quietly touching elephant bones.n
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nElephantsn have been known to have helped people who are injured and even ton have buried people who are dead!
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Somen zoo elephants make abstract art,nchoosing colors to swish and squish paint onto canvases. Also, somen elephants have been trained to play drums, harmonicas, or horns. Then Thai Elephant Orchestran is a group of elephants that improvises music. Apparently then elephants in the conservation compound freely participate—those who want to play music show up when humans begin to set up the instruments, and they play! Those who don’t want to come are not coaxed into playing…n
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nAlsonon this date:
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nVinyl Record Day
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nAnniversarynof the discovery of the largest T-Rex
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nAnniversarynof the extinction of the quagga
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nPlannahead:
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nHerenare my Pinterest pages on Augustnholidays, historicalnanniversaries in August,nand Augustnbirthdays.
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest pages on Septembernholidays, historicalnanniversaries in September, and Septembernbirthdays.
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