@Smonjirez You can't imagine a person being offended if someone insults someone else? Really? Are you just saying that to win an argument? If a random waiter at a restaurant I was eatng at got insulted by some belligerent arsehole I would be offended, and a lot of people would as well, it's called empathy. Youtube is like a restaurant and these guys are waiters bringing me food for thought, of course I'm offended if someone insults them.
I was astonished when I first saw footage of elephants painting and came in here to get my "fix". I'm a great elephant lover. They are so intelligent AND have such a loving society to live in when they get a chance to. I imagine that abuse is not the norm as these animals are very temperamental and would rebel pretty fast if they didn't like their trainer etc. I wish I had one as a friend. I'd love to visit the sanctuary in Kentucky I think it is...
Thai people can communicate with elephants well and i personally know that becuase i'm Thai. so what if and elephant is painting, they aren't making the elephant stand up two feet for 2 hours although they put harsh training and learning on them. the elephants do get taught many thing when young but in the end the people still looks after them and the very bad torturing and stuff doesn't happen everywhere and to every single one of them
@JanAnn23 I don't underestimate them, I know they are clever. They can learn how to paint, but they have NO IDEA what they are painting. Look it up, I did.
The video is not fake, but it's not as beautiful as it first seems. They are just doing what they are being told and learned.
@mawns Talking is something that is told and learned. Doesn't make it any less beautiful. People can do wonderful things with what they've learned. Same goes for animals. Its wrong to judge something/someone you can't communicate with.
@mawns I don't like arguing with people over youtube. It's lame. I'm just going to say of course I read your comment which is why I responded the way I did. I'll leave it at that and you can respond again or not if you want. I'm not going to be one of the people would argue on here. This is the second and last time you'll hear from me. Enjoy yourself!
This is fake. Watch an elephants trunk and the way it moves then go back to this video. Elephants are amazingly smart creatures, smarter than people think. This is fake though.
How old would a human have to be to create a painting like that. Let's relax the constraints: assume he's copying from another painting rather than imagination or still-life. Now let's relax things further: assume his father is whispering instructions to him. Oh, and that the child has practised this a LOT.
How old? Put an honest estimate on it. My guess, for all except child prodigies, is at least 10 years old. Just going by the artistic abilities of my cohort when I was that age.
I believe that the Mahoot- trainer has his hand on the elephant and is guiding the elephant directly. Possibly behind the ears. Elephants can not paint. they can not make the DECISIONS that are being mae becaue THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS. The mahoots trained them to MOVE THE PAINT BRUSH AT THEIR COMMAND.
I believe that the Mahoot- trainer has his hand on the elephant and is guiding the elephant directly. Possibly behind the ears. Elephants can not paint. they can not make the DECISIONS that are being made because THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS. The mahoots trained them to MOVE THE PAINT BRUSH AT THEIR COMMAND.
I wonder if the elephant enjoys doing it at all or if its simply forced to. It doesn't look like it can comfortably hold that tiny paint brush in it trunk very well. They SHOULD make easier or bigger brushes for it to use.
Although elephants are very intelligent and naturally creative, painting on an easel with a paintbrush in their trunks is not an activity that any have been found to perform in the wild. Therefore all the artists first have to go to school to learn how to paint.It takes only one day to discover if the elephant has real interest in the activity and any aptitude at art. Once the most promising students have been selected, they then continue to be taught for up to a week before they are ready.
@1Clouderon1 Actually the elephant has something similar to an opposable thumb on the end with which it can easily grasp things. Haven't you ever seen an elephant eat? D:
If Koko and Michael the Gorillas could paint willingly to express themselves, its feasible an elephant can too. Granted, its a bit more difficult for an elephant to paint with his nose than for a gorilla to paint with his hands.
fyi elephants don't paint this way of their own volition, they have been trained to duplicate images for sale to tourists. inquiring minds can find TRUE creations from elephant artists. see elephant art gallery spotting a fake
I really wonder if they are shown a picture to draw and they copy it or if they are expressing their thoughts like the one that drew two babies is she missing her babies, this one is he missing green pastures...Africa etc? If an elephant can tell if a bone from an ancestor is from their herd you better bet they have amazing talents...:)
elephant are short sighted and rely more on other sense's which have lived along side human's as food and warmth since the ice age i believe one day they would no doubly learn complexity of are text with out the manipulation of the trainer guiding there nose ,i support this relationship as the elephant's benefit greater health from this than other domesticated animals in thailand ,just dont call the elephant the 21st century nigger or they will cause riots in 31st century lol
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This is just so sad.. People are killing off animals such as elephants who are near to disappearance from our planet... then they make the few left to work for thier own survival and poor preservation by training them to paint sad drawings of free elephants to make people feel partly enetertained.. partly guilty and ashamed of human race....if any feel and think of it that way.
clearly the elephants hate it, thats why they are holding the brush and painting. how dare them make the elephants try to paint instead of sitting around in their zoo as they normally would.
Wow. This is even more proof of what I always knew to be true, but a picture paints a thousand words. Beautiful intelligence at work and heart warming human compassion. And find it kind of ironic that the front page of the comments here is largely a bunch of apes being abusive to each other and bickering among themselves. YOU'VE JUST SEEN THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY ENLIGHTENING THING YOU WILL PROBABLY EVER SEE DURING YOUR BRIEF STAY ON THIS PLANET: THE EQUIVALENT OF "FIRST CONTACT". Wake up...
oh i believe it is real. i have seen the videos. i dont understand why this is not a super big deal though... i mean... an animal that does this is demonstrating synthesis of thought, taking a concept and transforming it into something new... this is higher order thinking. am i correct in saying that this should make us totally re-think our place as the only animal with higher order thinking ability?
Teach them the written word and ask them if they like it or by the answer they paint and stop arguing amongst yourselves over something no one but the elephant in question can answer!
However you look at it, the elephants should be left alone to live their natural lives, not forced to do something they do not want to do. They should not be treated as slaves to get money from tourists. It's evil. These elephants are being forced to stand at the canvas and are controlled by the person next to them. Anyone who thinks the elephant cares what it is doing is stupid. It doesn't have an eye for art, it is just scared of punishment. This should be stopped!!
their natural habitat is almost non-existent it is a sad state. I love elephants and would love to set up a reserve for them. They are interfered with but I don't see any signs here that they are being abused. I am with JBTYpr if you have some proof show us all and we can rally to have this stopped!
actually, elephants enjoy doing creative activited like this and in the wild they draw pictures in the sand. It's called their photographic memory. If the really didn't enjoy it, there would be sure signs like it's sad. And there are that many laws over animal cruelty that i'm sure this hasn't been overlooked and has been seen to and proved that these elephants are doing what they enjoy most.
yea I am a human being,I am doing what I dont' want to do daily to get a few buck to pay the bill, but my boss got 60% and we got 2% 10% goes to government tax, the rest were production cost.
What the hell will you say for it? I am human don't force me what I do not want to do. wake up man this is life if you like you keep those elephant at your home and feed them every day by yourself
-- yea I am a human being,I am doing what I dont' want to do daily to get a few buck to pay the bill.. I am human don't force me what I do not want to do
And your too dumb to figure out where the woods are? Go live with Bigfoot if you don't like it. Nobody is forcing you to do anything.
@mindprism : go live in the woods with bigfoot if you don't like working at a job? that is not even close to a legitimate argument, you just sound crazy. of course it's an option, but a delusional one for a civilized human.
@xxloulou13xx : you obviously don't understand elephant behavior. 1. they don't have an environment to live in, and even if they did, they were raised w/ people and don't know how to survive. 2. elephants living in captivity get bored, even elephants in western zoos have discovered their own way of painting w/o encouragement. It's possible they do LOVE it. 3. Thai people are not automatically animal abusers, u racist fuck. 4. animals CAN and do have an eye for art, you speciest fuck
@Discordia5 while you make some good points, it is awful that elephants do not have safe environments, while it is possible painting is a therapy for them you can't deny it is done for profit and for entertaining the humans. Some animal handlers are abusive to the animals. Yes, they are highly intelligent but are they best served this way? Given the choice would they not rather roam free and tend to their own culture and families? You're too quick to defend captivity.
@plutodrvv I agree it's better for them to roam freely, but thats not possible due to deforestation. This is a relatively good solution to a sad problem, because like you said, it can be done for profit and entertains humans. People are drawn to the cause and spend money on it. That's not a bad thing in this case, because I'd bet elephants are expensive. I'm sure some arent treated as well as they deserve, but Ive heard many Thais are taught about elephants and conservation from a young age.
@plutodrvv Thais are Buddhists. If you knew anything about buddhism you would know it was an insult to accuse the Thais of mistreating their animals. I don't say this as a Thai, or as a Buddhist, only in respect of their culture.
@XArcane If one truely believes in him / herself, that person shouldn't be able to be insulted that easily. If you really stand for your beliefs, other peoples words wouldn't matter.
@Smonjirez What point? Even if the person doesn't get insulted easily it doesn't stop me seeing such a comment as an insult and being offended by it. If someone says something against a Muslim friend, such as all Muslims are terrorists it offends me. When someone accuses Thai Buddhist monks of mistreating animals their ignorance offends me similarly.
@Discordia5 : I like the term "speciest fuck" Don't know if that really exists but who cares. However, someone who hates Thai is a "nationalist fuck" and not a "racist fuck" Am I right? Anyway, fuck him
@benpetrofsky Absolutely not lol! I have owned dogs and cats, and I can say firsthand that they have no appreciation for aesthetics after witnessing all the beautiful things they have torn apart. I would imagine only a few select species recognize external beauty.... humans, apes, elephants, maybe dolphins. It's impossible to know for sure, though.
@Discordia5 Well we humans also destroy and kill things even though we have appreciation. I think thats just part of the dog's/cat's nature. I have had a few dogs before, and have friends who have cats, granted they are no humans or elephant but they seem to have something in there at least
@benpetrofsky Obviously... I feel like you're just trying to argue with me. So first I give animals too much credit, then I don't give them enough. About dogs and cats destroying beautiful things- that was supposed to be a joke, not a philosophical theory. Just because I said it was impossible to tell whether or not most animal appreciate aesthetics does not imply that I think they're stupid or simple. Just different.
@Casna101 No, I meant that's not the definition of the word. (And superiority is relative, btw, but that's besides the point.) According to Oxford dictionary: the improper stance of refusing respect to the lives, dignity, rights or needs of animals of other than the human species. Everyone knows humans are generally superior, but people who totally only give a shit about humans are speciests in my perception of the word.
@Discordia5 goes to show when limitations are placed on an animals potential in one area, another must bolster in consequence. humans are not exempt from this either, specifically xloulou13xx, with their youtube comments...
This is real folks , seen it many times in Thailand and the owners treat there elephants very well the elephant in Thailand is like our eagle in America.
I agree JBTY pr comment below , please send me prove of your statement .I spend a lot of time in Thailand, the guy I promote on my page lives there, I'm saying what I witnessed, I know elephant owners.Sure there captured, not good ,although, they are loved very much, send proof & if you do have it , I and everyone well listen. Do you know the history of the elephant in Thailand ? They are loved, believed to have saved Thailand in times of wars, they are Kings of Thailand, do you know this ?
Yes, I know all about the history of the elephant in Thailand. I have read many books about them. "Kings" of Thailand, eh? Bullshit. You don't force old, sick "kings" to work well past their prime and starve and beat them. This happens all the time there.
Did you even bother to read my comment below? If so you would go to the website of the Elephant Nature Park as I suggest, and read everything they say about elephants. I spent a lot of time there and it is all true.
yea the trainer does guide the trunk a bit, but the elephant is still doing the precise manipulation where the brush is touching the surface.....the elephants cannot envision these paintings and draw them on their own....they need guidance from the trainers.
im fairly sure these elephants dont reproduce the same image over and over, they paint what they want. i doubt buddhists out in the middle of no where are beating elephants forcing them to paint pictures of their native environment......
Then you need to educate yourself on this subject. Please research Phajaan, it's no myth. Some Thai are taking advantage of the monk image, from begging on the streets as fake monks begging for change to running "animal conservations" that are just a front to money making, illegal trade and illegal sale of endangered species for medicinal purposes.
regardless of the fact that they might have trained for years on the same painting, it is a fucking elephant with a paint brush and actually paints a good picture and he probably makes more money with his talent than you can make at your job and you are just jealous, so just get over it loser, teach your dog a trick and see if it works as well.
candyann22: the elephant uses money to eat and raises money so that people who (must) take care of them can eat, otherwise no one could afford to take care of them. these elephants were raised for logging, and when logging was banned they were abandoned. the people you see caring for them are doing so out of compassion and lack of another choice. the elephants can't just "go back home" because logging destroyed their home.
im soo amazed.....and you ppl anybody who's making a negative comment about it..i think you all are just jealous prob cuz its being done in an outside culture or region rather than yours...
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i agree.. they do the same paintings over and over again that they have been trained to do over and over again so they get a treat at the end. all so their keepers can sell the paintings to dumb tourists like the people making cute comments on here about how amazing it is.
You can dog the elephant all you want but I've seen worse paintings out of art students with degrees and that's a fact. So props to the elephant as far as I'm concerned even if it is just memorizing the same picture, which I doubt is the case, BTW....
ive seen worse by students with degrees also. and yes. well done elephant for being clever. but im sure it would rather be aprecieted for doing what it wants to do, and not being a slave.
Most of these elephants are taken from abusive homes are lives. These are safe houses for them and they learn to paint, these painting are then sold to raise money for them.
Ah, that's what they WANT you to think. I'm sure that's exactly what they told you... yet guess where most of the money goes to? Nope, not for the elephants, for some rich bigwig who owns the place.
I was told by the top elephant experts in Thailand who talked to me personally about it. They have a lot of video as well. Trust me, it's true. Everything else you hear defending elephant art or rides or other tricks performed by them is propaganda by people who make money off the elephants.
If you Know for a fact that these animals are abused and claime to have proof then please by all means show us and i garantee that anyone with a brain will not argue
jbty: I do know ir for a fact. I never claimed to "have proof" as in some video of my own. But I know without a doubt that almost every elephant in Thailand is abused. Why? Because they are traditionally tortured at 2 years old in the "phaajan" breaking ritual, where their spirit is "broken" to make them more submissive. I watched a video of this taken by staff members of the Elephant Nature Park, the only true sanctuary there. See their website for more.
I am human I have been tortured by my boss everyday in Australia emotionally. What will you say about it? My spirit is now broken, if can't work overload of work every second, I might lose my job then I can't feed my mount next day. yes I am human. Not elephant. wake up guy this is life.
maung: if you are human, then you have a voice, and a choice. Nobody has to stand for being "tortured by your boss", no matter what you say. Only an idiot would stay in a job where he is "tortured".
Nonhuman animals don't have that choice. Wake up yourself.
Sorry, but I ain't gonna "shut up"... when I know something is wrong, I'll continue to write and speak up about it until something gets done.
And "these guys" aren't responsible for us knowing that "elephants can do real art"... it's been known for decades that they were that intelligent... if anyone cared to actually read about them (which obviously you didn't).
"These guys" in the video only care about making money off them, and tear the babies away from their mothers to get it.
There are many reasons why this is wrong and shouldn't be supported. The main reason is because Asian elephant babies are being torn from their mothers and broken to be docile enough to make the silly paintings. The "breaking" ritual (phaajaan) is a horrible week-long session of torture that's so bad many elephants don't even survive. Not to mention the cruelty of separating babies from mothers and their aunties.
Lek Chailert of the Elephant Sanctuary asks you not to support this abuse. Thanks.
I was wondering about this. These elephants are amazing. They paint better than I can! And I was wondering just how they got to be so artistic. I hate to see these intelligent creatures being harmed in any manner. The families of the elephants should be kept intact.
get to be so artistic after memorising layer opon layer of the same routine. the same painting over and over again. each elephant does one painting and has one trainer that sets and drills his painting into the elephant over years, in order to eventualy reap the profits from wankers that leave cute coments here.
I'm sure the elephants are trained, but for how long? Maybe it's not as long as you think. Still, you have to give the elephant some credit. How long would it take someone to train their dog or cat to do the same thing?
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@Smonjirez You can't imagine a person being offended if someone insults someone else? Really? Are you just saying that to win an argument? If a random waiter at a restaurant I was eatng at got insulted by some belligerent arsehole I would be offended, and a lot of people would as well, it's called empathy. Youtube is like a restaurant and these guys are waiters bringing me food for thought, of course I'm offended if someone insults them.
XArcane 7 hours ago
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XArcane 7 hours ago
I, am pretty sad. I can draw a deformed square though! ':,,,)
iWildWolf 6 days ago
omg... this fella is a better painter than me.
eidlliwouy 1 week ago
---------I PAINT BETTER------------
1alvarouribe 3 months ago
:U Amazing!
CyberNecrovalley 3 months ago
Holy mother of Ganesha :o
even093 3 months ago 3
i wonder if the elehpant goes FUCK! when he makes a mistake
DMxNemesis 6 months ago 2
That elephant paints better than me :P
OpaqueDragon4 7 months ago
lol imagine me sitting next to this elephant in art class and he gets a better grade than me
TheXxsuperxxchickxx 7 months ago
@TheXxsuperxxchickxx bahahaha I KNOW! That'd be me, too. I'd be like "Hey, Jumbo! Peanuts...over there!" (switches paintings with elephant)
VocalEdgeTV 4 weeks ago
that elephant sucks.
rastan1977 7 months ago
Our elephants at the Nashville Zoo have painted for many years. Their habitat is wonderful and their art is sold for preservation charities.
VocalEdgeTV 8 months ago 12
@VocalEdgeTV can all elehants paint or is it like with people where some are talented and others aren't?
wadyano 1 month ago
@VocalEdgeTV Thanks for you reply! And yes, their habitat is wonderful! We're members! The Nashville Zoo is near and dear to our family.
VocalEdgeTV 4 weeks ago
I was astonished when I first saw footage of elephants painting and came in here to get my "fix". I'm a great elephant lover. They are so intelligent AND have such a loving society to live in when they get a chance to. I imagine that abuse is not the norm as these animals are very temperamental and would rebel pretty fast if they didn't like their trainer etc. I wish I had one as a friend. I'd love to visit the sanctuary in Kentucky I think it is...
FunNotNuts 9 months ago
i wonder if that was its home???? : (
mixed2thafullest 10 months ago
Thai people can communicate with elephants well and i personally know that becuase i'm Thai. so what if and elephant is painting, they aren't making the elephant stand up two feet for 2 hours although they put harsh training and learning on them. the elephants do get taught many thing when young but in the end the people still looks after them and the very bad torturing and stuff doesn't happen everywhere and to every single one of them
SimGirl123creator 10 months ago
@SimGirl123creator how about indian?
just asking only
eleongo 6 months ago
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SimGirl123creator 10 months ago
some say elephants just do that coz they enjoy it...... but some say they are tortured and are forced to do it since they're young
im really confused.... why would they do that to those poor creatures...............
if elephants can express what they feel and do such revenge to those abusers
it should be bloody..............
mysteriousharp 10 months ago
You know elephants are color blind, right? This is a hoax.
mawns 11 months ago
@mawns
never to underestimate this kind of living creature, man. Elephants are so clever and understand humans.
JanAnn23 11 months ago
@JanAnn23 I don't underestimate them, I know they are clever. They can learn how to paint, but they have NO IDEA what they are painting. Look it up, I did.
The video is not fake, but it's not as beautiful as it first seems. They are just doing what they are being told and learned.
mawns 11 months ago
@mawns Talking is something that is told and learned. Doesn't make it any less beautiful. People can do wonderful things with what they've learned. Same goes for animals. Its wrong to judge something/someone you can't communicate with.
crazziii 10 months ago
@crazziii Well, did you even read what i wrote?
What if the elephants are forced to learn this? They sure don't enjoy painting it like a human would.
Why do you think I don't like elephants?! But I don't think the painting is as beautiful as it would be if the elephant knew what he was doing.
And please, if you can't read and understand what I'm saying and don't have anything important to say, don't answer.
mawns 10 months ago
@mawns I don't like arguing with people over youtube. It's lame. I'm just going to say of course I read your comment which is why I responded the way I did. I'll leave it at that and you can respond again or not if you want. I'm not going to be one of the people would argue on here. This is the second and last time you'll hear from me. Enjoy yourself!
crazziii 10 months ago
This is fake. Watch an elephants trunk and the way it moves then go back to this video. Elephants are amazingly smart creatures, smarter than people think. This is fake though.
DeLunny 1 year ago
@DeLunny there are plenty of elephant paiinting videos. Go check them out I'm pretty sure this is legit
calpoop 1 year ago
*sigh*
How old would a human have to be to create a painting like that. Let's relax the constraints: assume he's copying from another painting rather than imagination or still-life. Now let's relax things further: assume his father is whispering instructions to him. Oh, and that the child has practised this a LOT.
How old? Put an honest estimate on it. My guess, for all except child prodigies, is at least 10 years old. Just going by the artistic abilities of my cohort when I was that age.
bdf2718 1 year ago 4
I believe that the Mahoot- trainer has his hand on the elephant and is guiding the elephant directly. Possibly behind the ears. Elephants can not paint. they can not make the DECISIONS that are being mae becaue THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS. The mahoots trained them to MOVE THE PAINT BRUSH AT THEIR COMMAND.
arthurrobins 1 year ago
@arthurrobins classical philosophical "argument from ignorance"
Discordia5 1 year ago
those elephants are treated like royalty.
walnutf 1 year ago
I believe that the Mahoot- trainer has his hand on the elephant and is guiding the elephant directly. Possibly behind the ears. Elephants can not paint. they can not make the DECISIONS that are being made because THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THESE THINGS. The mahoots trained them to MOVE THE PAINT BRUSH AT THEIR COMMAND.
arthurrobins 1 year ago
I wonder if the elephant enjoys doing it at all or if its simply forced to. It doesn't look like it can comfortably hold that tiny paint brush in it trunk very well. They SHOULD make easier or bigger brushes for it to use.
liveguns 1 year ago
llicooo ! :D
sweetxcherry1718 1 year ago
I kind of wonder how they train them. Are they hit if they don't paint what they're trained to?
duran66 1 year ago
Although elephants are very intelligent and naturally creative, painting on an easel with a paintbrush in their trunks is not an activity that any have been found to perform in the wild. Therefore all the artists first have to go to school to learn how to paint.It takes only one day to discover if the elephant has real interest in the activity and any aptitude at art. Once the most promising students have been selected, they then continue to be taught for up to a week before they are ready.
carlecor 1 year ago
Rembrandt was an elephant to!!
kretekroker 1 year ago
These elephants are talented :)
Joshy51112 1 year ago
One question: what's the red thing in the sky? A balloon maybe?
Sabohaque 1 year ago
The Elephant Lady...that's all i have to say about this crap.
littlezoebear 1 year ago
hey faggot! COPY RIGHT BY GOD! YOU UNORIGINAL ELEPHANT "parody" :B
layger7 1 year ago
It must hurt to have that paint brush up in that trunk of his
1Clouderon1 1 year ago
@1Clouderon1 Actually the elephant has something similar to an opposable thumb on the end with which it can easily grasp things. Haven't you ever seen an elephant eat? D:
TheM2Official 1 year ago 2
I would not stop petting this elephant!!! Only love can cause this, not mistreating
treboles7 1 year ago 3
wait, did the elephant paint the whole piece of just the sun and the trees on the right?
rax7 1 year ago
awesome, what's the name of the song ?
Vieldor 1 year ago 2
: D I'd totally want an elephant to illustrate a picture book
kimmy2468 1 year ago
If Koko and Michael the Gorillas could paint willingly to express themselves, its feasible an elephant can too. Granted, its a bit more difficult for an elephant to paint with his nose than for a gorilla to paint with his hands.
Raptoridaner 1 year ago
elephant painting is the single greatest thing i have ever had the privilege to watch .
onestepcloser17 1 year ago 2
merci c'est super vraiment et bonnes fetes de paques
monalisa175 1 year ago
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really i donot believe that an elephant is painting really see we cannot paint but an elephant can
masoomaaa1 1 year ago
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really i donot believe that an elephant is painting really see we cannot paint but an elephant can
masoomaaa1 1 year ago
really i donot believe that an elephant is painting really see we cannot paint but an elephant can
masoomaaa1 1 year ago
really i donot believe that
masoomaaa1 1 year ago
fyi elephants don't paint this way of their own volition, they have been trained to duplicate images for sale to tourists. inquiring minds can find TRUE creations from elephant artists. see elephant art gallery spotting a fake
lddrummerhill 1 year ago
WOW..
twik1994 2 years ago
look like impressionism
1mihn1 2 years ago
I really wonder if they are shown a picture to draw and they copy it or if they are expressing their thoughts like the one that drew two babies is she missing her babies, this one is he missing green pastures...Africa etc? If an elephant can tell if a bone from an ancestor is from their herd you better bet they have amazing talents...:)
123hyperlove123 2 years ago
Actually, that's an Asian elephant. But yeah.
starfirechild2000 1 year ago
looks like an Indian elephant but yeah :)
allovtheabove 1 year ago
well these are Asian elephants and don't know anything about Africa,...
danielc121162 1 year ago
elephant are short sighted and rely more on other sense's which have lived along side human's as food and warmth since the ice age i believe one day they would no doubly learn complexity of are text with out the manipulation of the trainer guiding there nose ,i support this relationship as the elephant's benefit greater health from this than other domesticated animals in thailand ,just dont call the elephant the 21st century nigger or they will cause riots in 31st century lol
okuma0kuma 2 years ago
WOW! That is the most amazing thing I've ever seen! :D
BuddiesAntics 2 years ago
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This is just so sad.. People are killing off animals such as elephants who are near to disappearance from our planet... then they make the few left to work for thier own survival and poor preservation by training them to paint sad drawings of free elephants to make people feel partly enetertained.. partly guilty and ashamed of human race....if any feel and think of it that way.
Altynaika 2 years ago
In Singapore, elephants are positively rewarded, like one would train a family dog. And also a big fuck you to poachers worldwide.
LOLCaatz 2 years ago 4
clearly the elephants hate it, thats why they are holding the brush and painting. how dare them make the elephants try to paint instead of sitting around in their zoo as they normally would.
videoViewer143 2 years ago
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LOLCaatz 2 years ago
One day, elephants will walk among us.
LOLCaatz 2 years ago
beautiful :)
jonnykiller 2 years ago 3
Amazing animals
Doser1 2 years ago 3
Wow. This is even more proof of what I always knew to be true, but a picture paints a thousand words. Beautiful intelligence at work and heart warming human compassion. And find it kind of ironic that the front page of the comments here is largely a bunch of apes being abusive to each other and bickering among themselves. YOU'VE JUST SEEN THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY ENLIGHTENING THING YOU WILL PROBABLY EVER SEE DURING YOUR BRIEF STAY ON THIS PLANET: THE EQUIVALENT OF "FIRST CONTACT". Wake up...
monkschain 2 years ago 5
are we sure that is not a man holding a fake elephant trunk with a paint bursh in it?
bulletman100 2 years ago
@bulletman100 : yes we are sure. this shit is HUGE, there is a lot of information (aka "proof") for anyone willing to research/question it.
Discordia5 2 years ago
oh i believe it is real. i have seen the videos. i dont understand why this is not a super big deal though... i mean... an animal that does this is demonstrating synthesis of thought, taking a concept and transforming it into something new... this is higher order thinking. am i correct in saying that this should make us totally re-think our place as the only animal with higher order thinking ability?
bulletman100 2 years ago 3
@bulletman100 my thoughts exactly
partyyhardy 1 year ago
Teach them the written word and ask them if they like it or by the answer they paint and stop arguing amongst yourselves over something no one but the elephant in question can answer!
Malisha42O 2 years ago 2
whoa awsome picture !! gogo Elephant bRo !
FeroxX 2 years ago
OMG this elephant is amazing... he is nearly a human artist
higme6 2 years ago
However you look at it, the elephants should be left alone to live their natural lives, not forced to do something they do not want to do. They should not be treated as slaves to get money from tourists. It's evil. These elephants are being forced to stand at the canvas and are controlled by the person next to them. Anyone who thinks the elephant cares what it is doing is stupid. It doesn't have an eye for art, it is just scared of punishment. This should be stopped!!
xxloulou13xx 2 years ago
their natural habitat is almost non-existent it is a sad state. I love elephants and would love to set up a reserve for them. They are interfered with but I don't see any signs here that they are being abused. I am with JBTYpr if you have some proof show us all and we can rally to have this stopped!
tiastaci 2 years ago 5
actually, elephants enjoy doing creative activited like this and in the wild they draw pictures in the sand. It's called their photographic memory. If the really didn't enjoy it, there would be sure signs like it's sad. And there are that many laws over animal cruelty that i'm sure this hasn't been overlooked and has been seen to and proved that these elephants are doing what they enjoy most.
VergilRulz 2 years ago 35
@VergilRulz
In the wild they draw pictures in the sand? Lol...source?
Casna101 5 months ago
yea I am a human being,I am doing what I dont' want to do daily to get a few buck to pay the bill, but my boss got 60% and we got 2% 10% goes to government tax, the rest were production cost.
What the hell will you say for it? I am human don't force me what I do not want to do. wake up man this is life if you like you keep those elephant at your home and feed them every day by yourself
maungthomas 2 years ago
-- yea I am a human being,I am doing what I dont' want to do daily to get a few buck to pay the bill.. I am human don't force me what I do not want to do
And your too dumb to figure out where the woods are? Go live with Bigfoot if you don't like it. Nobody is forcing you to do anything.
mindprism 2 years ago
@mindprism : go live in the woods with bigfoot if you don't like working at a job? that is not even close to a legitimate argument, you just sound crazy. of course it's an option, but a delusional one for a civilized human.
Discordia5 2 years ago
@Discordia5:>>that is not even close to a legitimate argument
In this context, it is perfectly legitimate. You chose the context: one where you compared your personal 'enslavement' to that of an Elephant.
An Elephant, man.
And then you say I am making 'delusional' argument when I show you that you are Far and Above more free than an elephant.
Ok, have it your way, you human-equivalent-of-an-enslaved-elephant.
Sheesh.
mindprism 2 years ago
@xxloulou13xx : you obviously don't understand elephant behavior. 1. they don't have an environment to live in, and even if they did, they were raised w/ people and don't know how to survive. 2. elephants living in captivity get bored, even elephants in western zoos have discovered their own way of painting w/o encouragement. It's possible they do LOVE it. 3. Thai people are not automatically animal abusers, u racist fuck. 4. animals CAN and do have an eye for art, you speciest fuck
Discordia5 2 years ago 101
@Discordia5 while you make some good points, it is awful that elephants do not have safe environments, while it is possible painting is a therapy for them you can't deny it is done for profit and for entertaining the humans. Some animal handlers are abusive to the animals. Yes, they are highly intelligent but are they best served this way? Given the choice would they not rather roam free and tend to their own culture and families? You're too quick to defend captivity.
plutodrvv 1 year ago
@plutodrvv I agree it's better for them to roam freely, but thats not possible due to deforestation. This is a relatively good solution to a sad problem, because like you said, it can be done for profit and entertains humans. People are drawn to the cause and spend money on it. That's not a bad thing in this case, because I'd bet elephants are expensive. I'm sure some arent treated as well as they deserve, but Ive heard many Thais are taught about elephants and conservation from a young age.
Discordia5 1 year ago 3
@plutodrvv Thais are Buddhists. If you knew anything about buddhism you would know it was an insult to accuse the Thais of mistreating their animals. I don't say this as a Thai, or as a Buddhist, only in respect of their culture.
XArcane 1 year ago 24
@XArcane tarring everyone with the same brush, are we. That's as racist as anything else. Never heard of Thai mafia, perhaps?
Melopeed 1 month ago
@XArcane If one truely believes in him / herself, that person shouldn't be able to be insulted that easily. If you really stand for your beliefs, other peoples words wouldn't matter.
Smonjirez 13 hours ago
@Smonjirez I'm not a Buddhist, I'm an atheist. I do however have a great respect for Buddhism.
XArcane 12 hours ago
@XArcane Me too. But it seems you didn't get my point.
Smonjirez 12 hours ago
@Smonjirez What point? Even if the person doesn't get insulted easily it doesn't stop me seeing such a comment as an insult and being offended by it. If someone says something against a Muslim friend, such as all Muslims are terrorists it offends me. When someone accuses Thai Buddhist monks of mistreating animals their ignorance offends me similarly.
XArcane 10 hours ago
@Discordia5 : I like the term "speciest fuck" Don't know if that really exists but who cares. However, someone who hates Thai is a "nationalist fuck" and not a "racist fuck" Am I right? Anyway, fuck him
koskorax 1 year ago 3
@Discordia5
Agreed 100%, however, do not be mistaken, not ALL animals are able to harness the complex psychological ability of art.
benpetrofsky 1 year ago
@benpetrofsky Absolutely not lol! I have owned dogs and cats, and I can say firsthand that they have no appreciation for aesthetics after witnessing all the beautiful things they have torn apart. I would imagine only a few select species recognize external beauty.... humans, apes, elephants, maybe dolphins. It's impossible to know for sure, though.
Discordia5 1 year ago
@Discordia5 Well we humans also destroy and kill things even though we have appreciation. I think thats just part of the dog's/cat's nature. I have had a few dogs before, and have friends who have cats, granted they are no humans or elephant but they seem to have something in there at least
benpetrofsky 1 year ago
@benpetrofsky Obviously... I feel like you're just trying to argue with me. So first I give animals too much credit, then I don't give them enough. About dogs and cats destroying beautiful things- that was supposed to be a joke, not a philosophical theory. Just because I said it was impossible to tell whether or not most animal appreciate aesthetics does not imply that I think they're stupid or simple. Just different.
Discordia5 1 year ago
@Discordia5 fuckin spaz
HomelessKangaroo 8 months ago
@Discordia5
Speciest? Lolwut?
Casna101 5 months ago
@Casna101 Haha, I know! The best part is that it's not a made up word, it was coined by philosopher Peter Singer.
Discordia5 5 months ago
@Discordia5
Haha, I see. But I guess I'm speciest, because I'm pretty sure I'm superior to a fly. XP
Casna101 5 months ago
@Casna101 That's not how it works.
Discordia5 5 months ago
@Casna101 That's definitely not how it works.
Discordia5 5 months ago
@Discordia5
It certainly is! Unless you exclude flies from being animals...which they certainly are.
I can of course vouch for the fact that humans are superior to other animals.
Casna101 5 months ago
@Casna101 No, I meant that's not the definition of the word. (And superiority is relative, btw, but that's besides the point.) According to Oxford dictionary: the improper stance of refusing respect to the lives, dignity, rights or needs of animals of other than the human species. Everyone knows humans are generally superior, but people who totally only give a shit about humans are speciests in my perception of the word.
Discordia5 5 months ago
@Discordia5 goes to show when limitations are placed on an animals potential in one area, another must bolster in consequence. humans are not exempt from this either, specifically xloulou13xx, with their youtube comments...
muchogoocho 5 months ago
This is real folks , seen it many times in Thailand and the owners treat there elephants very well the elephant in Thailand is like our eagle in America.
yesmon4real 2 years ago 7
yesmon: if you think elephants are "treated very well" in Thailand, dream on.
journeyman47 2 years ago
I agree JBTY pr comment below , please send me prove of your statement .I spend a lot of time in Thailand, the guy I promote on my page lives there, I'm saying what I witnessed, I know elephant owners.Sure there captured, not good ,although, they are loved very much, send proof & if you do have it , I and everyone well listen. Do you know the history of the elephant in Thailand ? They are loved, believed to have saved Thailand in times of wars, they are Kings of Thailand, do you know this ?
yesmon4real 2 years ago 2
Yes, I know all about the history of the elephant in Thailand. I have read many books about them. "Kings" of Thailand, eh? Bullshit. You don't force old, sick "kings" to work well past their prime and starve and beat them. This happens all the time there.
Did you even bother to read my comment below? If so you would go to the website of the Elephant Nature Park as I suggest, and read everything they say about elephants. I spent a lot of time there and it is all true.
journeyman47 2 years ago
I think you are just opposing Thai people and Thailand, because Asian can do what you white guys can not. You are talking jealously.
maungthomas 2 years ago
@journeyman47 What makes you believe that elephants are mistreated in Thailand? Please, I'd really like to know where you get this information from.
Discordia5 1 year ago
this is so hard to believe. can someone tell me wad's really going on?
buaysong 2 years ago
Elephants can paint. It's real.
jeffamarie 2 years ago 3
incredible
wadyano 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
did you notice you never see the whole elephant?? just the tip of the trunk. thats because the trainer is moving his trunk back and forth
NtotheAtotheC 2 years ago
how do u know? smart ass! Why are some people so quick to dismiss an animal's intelligence? Animals are a lot smarter then we give them credit for.
EHshifty 2 years ago 2
no,the elephant is paint it by itself
Snooki2000 2 years ago
lol You're thinking about it too hard - i've seen videos where the whole elephant IS shown.
jeffamarie 2 years ago
Besides, if you think even BOTH human arms can manipulate something that has more muscle than the entire human body, you're not thinking at all lol
jeffamarie 2 years ago 2
yea the trainer does guide the trunk a bit, but the elephant is still doing the precise manipulation where the brush is touching the surface.....the elephants cannot envision these paintings and draw them on their own....they need guidance from the trainers.
moda311 2 years ago
it can paint beter that me
zawes12 2 years ago
same with me it inceritbule
xfoosex123 2 years ago
im fairly sure these elephants dont reproduce the same image over and over, they paint what they want. i doubt buddhists out in the middle of no where are beating elephants forcing them to paint pictures of their native environment......
d1ngoo 2 years ago
Then you need to educate yourself on this subject. Please research Phajaan, it's no myth. Some Thai are taking advantage of the monk image, from begging on the streets as fake monks begging for change to running "animal conservations" that are just a front to money making, illegal trade and illegal sale of endangered species for medicinal purposes.
Candyann22 2 years ago
regardless of the fact that they might have trained for years on the same painting, it is a fucking elephant with a paint brush and actually paints a good picture and he probably makes more money with his talent than you can make at your job and you are just jealous, so just get over it loser, teach your dog a trick and see if it works as well.
tears4him 2 years ago
What is an elephant going to do with money? Does it bring him happiness? Does he get a house with a white picket fence and 2.3 children?
Candyann22 2 years ago
dont forget the dog! lol
NtotheAtotheC 2 years ago
candyann22: the elephant uses money to eat and raises money so that people who (must) take care of them can eat, otherwise no one could afford to take care of them. these elephants were raised for logging, and when logging was banned they were abandoned. the people you see caring for them are doing so out of compassion and lack of another choice. the elephants can't just "go back home" because logging destroyed their home.
Discordia5 2 years ago 3
Obviously I know this too, but there are better ways.
Candyann22 2 years ago
im soo amazed.....and you ppl anybody who's making a negative comment about it..i think you all are just jealous prob cuz its being done in an outside culture or region rather than yours...
rubykm1216 2 years ago
no elephant should do this! the should live somewhere in the jungle and not even think about a painting...
it is not their nature!
Some1one1 3 years ago
shut up fat boy this is a foster,and why not you jealous
eg2410109 2 years ago
We all got to start somewhere, and this just shows how talented animals can be.
kittkatt032 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
i agree.. they do the same paintings over and over again that they have been trained to do over and over again so they get a treat at the end. all so their keepers can sell the paintings to dumb tourists like the people making cute comments on here about how amazing it is.
oleedee 2 years ago
You can dog the elephant all you want but I've seen worse paintings out of art students with degrees and that's a fact. So props to the elephant as far as I'm concerned even if it is just memorizing the same picture, which I doubt is the case, BTW....
colorsoluble 2 years ago
ive seen worse by students with degrees also. and yes. well done elephant for being clever. but im sure it would rather be aprecieted for doing what it wants to do, and not being a slave.
oleedee 2 years ago
This is not simple painting at all
Marinazelena 2 years ago
this elephant needs to get a life
WillClotworthy 3 years ago
Most of these elephants are taken from abusive homes are lives. These are safe houses for them and they learn to paint, these painting are then sold to raise money for them.
Sidena123 3 years ago 3
Ah, that's what they WANT you to think. I'm sure that's exactly what they told you... yet guess where most of the money goes to? Nope, not for the elephants, for some rich bigwig who owns the place.
This is wrong, plain and simple.
journeyman47 3 years ago
how do you KNOW this???
kristinajoy 3 years ago
I was told by the top elephant experts in Thailand who talked to me personally about it. They have a lot of video as well. Trust me, it's true. Everything else you hear defending elephant art or rides or other tricks performed by them is propaganda by people who make money off the elephants.
journeyman47 3 years ago 2
Comment removed
JBTYpr 2 years ago
If you Know for a fact that these animals are abused and claime to have proof then please by all means show us and i garantee that anyone with a brain will not argue
JBTYpr 2 years ago 4
jbty: I do know ir for a fact. I never claimed to "have proof" as in some video of my own. But I know without a doubt that almost every elephant in Thailand is abused. Why? Because they are traditionally tortured at 2 years old in the "phaajan" breaking ritual, where their spirit is "broken" to make them more submissive. I watched a video of this taken by staff members of the Elephant Nature Park, the only true sanctuary there. See their website for more.
journeyman47 2 years ago
I am human I have been tortured by my boss everyday in Australia emotionally. What will you say about it? My spirit is now broken, if can't work overload of work every second, I might lose my job then I can't feed my mount next day. yes I am human. Not elephant. wake up guy this is life.
maungthomas 2 years ago
maung: if you are human, then you have a voice, and a choice. Nobody has to stand for being "tortured by your boss", no matter what you say. Only an idiot would stay in a job where he is "tortured".
Nonhuman animals don't have that choice. Wake up yourself.
journeyman47 2 years ago
runaway!
strongmeasures 2 years ago
I agree
yesmon4real 2 years ago
shut up fat boy,thanks to these guys we know that elephant can do real art,something we didnt know,
eg2410109 2 years ago
you are cute! ;o)
Some1one1 2 years ago
Sorry, but I ain't gonna "shut up"... when I know something is wrong, I'll continue to write and speak up about it until something gets done.
And "these guys" aren't responsible for us knowing that "elephants can do real art"... it's been known for decades that they were that intelligent... if anyone cared to actually read about them (which obviously you didn't).
"These guys" in the video only care about making money off them, and tear the babies away from their mothers to get it.
journeyman47 2 years ago 3
great comeback dude!
narlybabe 2 years ago
Thanks!
journeyman47 2 years ago
There are many reasons why this is wrong and shouldn't be supported. The main reason is because Asian elephant babies are being torn from their mothers and broken to be docile enough to make the silly paintings. The "breaking" ritual (phaajaan) is a horrible week-long session of torture that's so bad many elephants don't even survive. Not to mention the cruelty of separating babies from mothers and their aunties.
Lek Chailert of the Elephant Sanctuary asks you not to support this abuse. Thanks.
journeyman47 3 years ago
I was wondering about this. These elephants are amazing. They paint better than I can! And I was wondering just how they got to be so artistic. I hate to see these intelligent creatures being harmed in any manner. The families of the elephants should be kept intact.
joe80dman 3 years ago 3
Exactly. Well said.
journeyman47 3 years ago
get to be so artistic after memorising layer opon layer of the same routine. the same painting over and over again. each elephant does one painting and has one trainer that sets and drills his painting into the elephant over years, in order to eventualy reap the profits from wankers that leave cute coments here.
oleedee 2 years ago
I'm sure the elephants are trained, but for how long? Maybe it's not as long as you think. Still, you have to give the elephant some credit. How long would it take someone to train their dog or cat to do the same thing?
joe80dman 2 years ago 2
was never questioning the inteligence of an elephant. obviously there much smarter than dogs and cats man.....
oleedee 2 years ago
Kewl
MaritimeSecurity 3 years ago