Elephants Never Forget: Unpacking Their Legendary Memory

Who isn't familiar with the elephant? We come across them naturally on any visit to the zoo, yet we rarely give them much thought. But elephants are fascinating and captivating animals. Here, we've gathered some things you might not know about this giant of an animal—the elephant.

- Have you ever seen an elephant hiding behind a flower? You haven't?! It must have hidden well...

Jokes aside, the African elephant is the largest land animal. An average African elephant weighs between 4 to 7 tons, but an adult male can weigh up to 12 tons. The height of an African elephant is also colossal, reaching up to 3.5 meters.

And if you thought elephants reach full size at a certain point in their lives, think again. Elephants are unique; they never stop growing. The older the elephant gets, the more it grows, which is why mature elephants, especially those of the African species, are enormous.

- Have you ever been told you have the memory of an elephant?

That expression didn't come from nowhere. Elephants are known for their incredible memory. For example, elephant researchers observed a herd crossing the Namib Desert decades after they last visited the area. Suddenly, the lead female elephant stopped and began digging at a seemingly random spot. After digging a few meters, she found water. The elephant doesn’t have a special sense for finding water... but she remembered that there was water at that spot during her last visit. ("Among the Elephants," Douglas and Hamilton).

Elephants aren't just known for their memory; they also exhibit emotional traits. Renowned elephant researcher Lawrence Anthony, known as "The Elephant Whisperer," had a close bond with elephants. He rescued many elephants from human-inflicted horrors and saved numerous ones. In an extraordinary display not common among animals, a herd of elephants surrounded Anthony's home after his death, as if demonstrating their grief.