White elephants are something unreal, distant and even fabulous. We are all used to these gray giants, but it turns out that in nature there are also smoky, pink and very light animals. In fact, it all depends on the soil on which they live. All elephants are conditionally divided into two categories: African and Asian. The latter are slightly smaller and calmer than their violent relatives from the desert. In many Asian countries, the elephant is considered a kind and faithful animal, a great helper, helping out both in peacetime and in combat operations.
The white elephant is considered a very rare species. In the wild, it is not easy to meet him, so even those individuals who have a bright spot are included in this category. Such animals are caught and delivered to nature reserves because they are considered sacred. The tradition of worshiping white elephants originated in India. This is due to one of the deities who appeared to people in this form. Buddha, having appeared in this world, chose a three-headed snow-white giant capable of causing rain as a vehicle.
White elephants are mentioned in the culture of not only Asian, but also European countries. In particular, in England there is an expression that sounds like“to give a white elephant”, which means to give an unnecessary, irrelevant thing. This is explained by the fact that this sacred animal cannot be used for one's own purposes, transport goods on it, ride, etc. It only needs to be taken care of, fed, watered, cared for, that is, there is no benefit, but only losses.
Special respect for white elephants in Thailand. Snow-white giants are depicted on the flag of the naval forces of this country, and one of the most honorable awards is the Order of the White Elephant, handed over by the king. Some researchers believe that albinos do not exist among these individuals. This is due to the fact that most of the animals caught are pink, but they are also classified as white.
There are a lot of myths associated with these kind and calm giants. There are very few real ones, some of them are only partially true, others contain fiction. For example, for a long time it was believed that elephants were afraid of mice. In the course of research, it turned out that they really try to stay away from rodents, but this is not due to fearfulness, but to natural caution.
White elephants are physiologically no different from ordinary ones, their average life expectancy is about 60 years, but in favorable conditions they are able to live a century. Sleep an average of 4 hours a day. To do this, they lie down on the ground, yawn, and when they fall into a deep sleep, they snore loudly. Only sick animals sleep standing up. Females carry babies up to two years, childbirth takes anotherelephant. The duties of the latter include cleaning the placenta and taking the baby away from the mother, because the mother is so excited that she is able to trample her cub.
In the wild, elephants starve to death because as they age, their teeth fall out and their muscles atrophy. To feed, they go to wetter places, where they drown in silt, and they are attacked by crocodiles. This is also connected with the fact that it is impossible to find the remains of these animals in the desert, other inhabitants completely destroy them. In physiological terms, white elephants are no different from ordinary ones. A photo of these giants allows you to believe that they really exist. Some individuals live in the reserves of Thailand.
