Do Elephants Really Go to a Graveyard to Die?

The myth of the elephant graveyard has been around for centuries now. There are so many stories and ideas for what it means, and they have only become more popular through pop culture such as in movies. Whether elephant graveyards are real or not is up to the individual to decide. Many scientists do not believe that elephant graveyards are a biological phenomenon of elephants, so why does it have to much modern impact? There is so much to explore within this myth, especially due to the lack of scientific explanation! Keep reading below to learn more about the myth of elephant graveyards!

Origins

Trying to find the exact origins of the elephant graveyard myth proves to be quite difficult. Given its long and extensive history that has been told through many generations, finding the source is hard. It is generally believed, however, that the myth originated somewhere in Africa or Asia given that elephants are native to the regions. The elephant graveyard myth refers to the idea of elephants passing away near the remains of other elephants, growing larger and larger over time. There is, overall, little evidence to support this theory as graveyards are not often found. The graveyards that do exist are coincidences. This myth has persisted over the decades and has only grown through pop culture references!

Pop Culture

One famous reference to the elephant graveyard is in the movie ‘Trader Horn.’ This movie is set in Africa, and the elephant graveyard is one of the major settings in the movie. One of the reasons for the elephant graveyards’ popularity is because of the treasures they hold. Many treasure-hunting films will use this concept as the graveyards will have lots of ivory from the elephant tusks. This has become a popular trope over time. Elephant graveyards were also briefly in ‘The Lion King’ as well, only furthering people’s curiosity and interest in learning about this unique location.

Whether elephant graveyards are a real phenomenon or a complete coincidence has become a point of debate. Whether you choose to believe in it or not, the way it has become ingrained in our culture is very interesting! While myths are debatable on truth, science is always the surefire way to understand! Read below the perspective of science on the elephant graveyard myth!

Science

Unfortunately for the people who enjoy this myth, science does not support it. The myth talks about elephants having an innate ability to gather in one place to pass. This is untrue in the eye of science, but there may be other explanations. It is extremely uncommon to come across an elephant graveyard, but there is a chance you find a few skeletons in a similar location. This is because of elephants’ migration routes. Many elephants can live from 50-70 years. This means that over all that time, they learn and take the same routes over and over again. Because of this, older elephants who are familiar with comfortable resting areas may frequent them on travel. One thing leads to another and there is a slow build-up of skeletons in one area.

Emotional Intelligence

Older elephants have a difficult time getting along, especially in terms of eating and walking. Joints become weaker over time in all animals, but with the amount of walking elephants do, it can become severe. One other thing that leads to discomfort is the dulling of teeth. Without a way to care for their teeth, elephants’ teeth slowly become smaller as they wear down. This makes it difficult and uncomfortable to eat. This lack of consumption is another reason why they pass away near other elephants. When an elephant settles in a place that is abundant in food at an older age, they will most likely slowly lose energy and pass there.

Elephants are actually one of the most emotional animals outside of humans. It’s proven that elephants are capable of showing different emotions, making them gentle giants. The creatures are beautiful and mysterious for that itself! One of the main reasons that the myth of elephant graveyards exists is because of this emotional capability. Similar to humans’ own graveyards, there was speculation that elephant graveyards existed because of consistent returns to the same place. While this can be disproven by the migration patterns and routes, it is still very interesting to think about how these graveyards may exist!

Summary

The elephant graveyard myth has existed for centuries now. The myth refers to an elephant’s innate ability to have their final rest near others. While science may have disproven this, there are still some theories that support the chance of the myth being real. Whatever you believe, it is still fun to consider the possibility of it being real!