See Huge Elephants Charge at a Motorcycle and Countless Cars to Claim the Road

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This fascinating compilation of clips captured on Asian roads has already been viewed more than nine million times. As the footage below shows, viewing elephants from the comparative safety of a car or minibus is quite fun. However, if you are on a motorbike or moped it is an entirely different matter! Some of the road users in this clip get a little bit close for comfort to these huge animals. We have to remember that the elephants lived in these habitats a long time before we did!

What Do Asian Elephants Look Like?

Asian elephants can weigh up to 12,000 pounds and reach over 10 feet in height. They are generally smaller than African elephants and their back is not as concave as their African cousins. The Sri Lankan elephant is the largest of the Asian elephants.

The most prominent features of an elephant’s anatomy are their trunk and their tusks. The scientific term for a trunk is ‘proboscis’ which is derived from the Greek word for ‘before the mouth’. It has multiple uses including for lifting, spraying dust, smelling, and transferring things into the mouth. It contains more than 150,000 muscle units and has tactile receptors at the tip.

An elephant’s tusks are used to dig for water, to debark trees, and as a weapon. They have developed from teeth and grow about seven inches a year. An Asian elephant’s tusks are slimmer and straighter than an African elephant’s.

What Sounds Do Elephants Make?

The elephants in this clip are pretty vocal! Elephants have a large repertoire of sounds. They can make low-frequency calls that travel long distances. However, what we are hearing in this clip is a close-range, high-pitched call. We are also hearing the loud trumpeting sound which usually indicates alarm or surprise. Elephants make sound using their trunk.

How Does an Elephant Show Aggression?

Some of these elephants seem to be genuinely irritated by the presence of humans and their vehicles. Elephants show aggression by spreading their ears and raising their head. They also shake their head which makes their ears flap, and they can carry out mock charges at the object that is causing the irritation. Elephants are very large animals and even if they’re not trying very hard, they have the ability to cause humans and motorbikes quite a lot of damage!