Another Elephant Charm

I found another Elephant Charm when I was looking through my jewellery box.  This elephant appears to be walking away.  We can see its tail and the back of its ears.  I wonder if that is what the baby elephants see when the mother elephant wants them to come and follow them. Mom is saying, ‘Here’s my tail. Hold on and come with me.’

Calves will sometimes hold on to their mother’s tails with their trunks to keep up while on a long walk.  Other female elephants surround the calves to protect them from danger.

An elephant’s tail can be as long as 1.3 m. The tail has a series of very coarse, wire-like hair at the tip. These hairs can be up to 100 cm long. 

The hairs on an elephant’s tail act as a fly swatter and help the elephant remove any pesky flies around its bottom. Elephants spend a lot of time swishing their tails from side to side while attempting to keep the flies off their body. 

An elephant which is swinging its tail from side to side is happy and relaxed.  If the tail goes stiff it means the elephant is anxious.

The tail of an alert or uncomfortable elephant is held still and points downwards.  The tail of an upset, frightened or angry elephant is held out stiffly at a right angle from the body.

Elephants also use their tails to communicate with each other. At the back, the tail serves as a sensory touch instrument. Elephants use their tail to probe their surroundings which they cannot see.  Their tail will let them know how far the other members of the group are behind them.

# living life abundantly   # published author