Elephants have the largest brain of any land animal and three times as many neurons as humans. They are incredibly smart and have also been known to show deep empathy while grieving a lost family member. That said, zoologists haven’t been willing to attribute their ability to shed a tear to an emotional response. But only because they can’t prove it. Who knows why this particular elephant was crying. Perhaps the wind, perhaps a fly, perhaps something more. Photographed in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy in Kenya. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1250, f/5.6 at 1/160th of a second.
What a great shot, Sean! Considering their amazing intelligence, I’m in the camp that these creatures have a boundless capacity for emotion. We may never know for sure, but I lean toward the emotional link that could well be the basis for the tear.
Extraordinary! Touching. Remarkable closeup. The elephants we saw in the wild always looked somewhere between beleaguered and wise. Do I think they display emotion? You bet. When they were taking a mud bath they sounded like little kids having fun. I felt for them and their struggles every day..
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Elephants have the largest brain of any land animal and three times as many neurons as humans. They are incredibly smart and have also been known to show deep empathy while grieving a lost family member. That said, zoologists haven’t been willing to attribute their ability to shed a tear to an emotional response. But only because they can’t prove it. Who knows why this particular elephant was crying. Perhaps the wind, perhaps a fly, perhaps something more. Photographed in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy in Kenya. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1250, f/5.6 at 1/160th of a second.
What a great shot, Sean! Considering their amazing intelligence, I’m in the camp that these creatures have a boundless capacity for emotion. We may never know for sure, but I lean toward the emotional link that could well be the basis for the tear.
Thanks Sue. I’m definitely in the same camp. And have seen it from elephants many times.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It makes one think.
Thanks Donna.
Amazing.
Thanks Jen.
Sounds like the name of a great novel! Elephant Tear………. Make it up from there!
The elephant was probably listening to “Africa” by Toto. That one gets me every time and I have like eight neurons total.
Extraordinary! Touching. Remarkable closeup. The elephants we saw in the wild always looked somewhere between beleaguered and wise. Do I think they display emotion? You bet. When they were taking a mud bath they sounded like little kids having fun. I felt for them and their struggles every day..
Yeah, I agree. they could teach us a thing or two.
Oh my goodness, amazing. . . and I would kill for those eyelashes (but rest assured I won’t).
Ha, no doubt. A bit of Latisse is a better option.