Watch This Brilliant Elephant Expertly Crush an Electric Fence… Without Even Being Shocked!

If you needed proof of just how intelligent elephants are – here it is! In the below clip, we get to see a wild elephant ‘testing’ various parts of an electric fence to work out which bits can be pushed without getting a shock. Soon, it was figured out that the upright posts could be pushed without a shock being delivered. So, the clever creature pushes over the post with its foot. Now it can cross the road and get to wherever it wants to go and we know that electric fences don’t work on elephants. Genius!

Watch the Incredible Footage Below!

Where Do Asian Elephants Live?

Asian elephants live on the Indian subcontinent (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh), and continental Southeast Asia (China, Myanmar, Thailand, Kampuchea, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia). They also live in some Asian islands (Andaman Islands, Sri Lanka, Sumatra, Borneo) and have been spotted swimming in the sea to get from one island to another. Their preferred habitats are tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests.

How Intelligent Are Elephants?

There is plenty of scientific evidence that elephants are highly intelligent animals but this is not news to people who have lived around them for thousands of years. There are many ancient legends of elephant memory and intelligence.

In the last couple of decades, these legends have been investigated and it turns out that elephants are even more intelligent than we thought. We now know that they are as clever as chimpanzees. They are self-aware, have problem-solving skills, and can use tools. Furthermore, they cooperate with each other to overcome difficulties.

Are Elephants Empathetic?

It seems that elephants combine intelligence with empathy. Studies have shown that they console each other. Elephants have been seen reacting to a member of their herd that had become distressed. They rushed to the upset animal’s side making chirping noises and stroking them.

They also seem to be able to recognize another elephant’s skeleton and show deference to it. It is suspected that they can grieve. This has raised the question of whether it is ethical to hold these magnificent creatures in captivity.

Is This Normal Elephant Behavior?

Elephants are peaceful, highly intelligent animals that use their bodies to help them in numerous ways. Their trunks have the ability to move, bend, expand, and contract and they use them to pick up numerous objects. Their legs and feet are used not only for digging in search of water and breaking branches but also for playing, intimidating, and most importantly, making objects or others, move.

Like the elephant in this video is shown to do, they will lift their legs while standing in place and move their foot around, which acts as their way of assessing situations. Elephants are also able to pick up seismic vibrations. It is normal for them to use their feet to test, and then clear, areas.

How Large are Asian Elephants?

Asian elephants are not as large as their African cousins, but their size is still quite impressive. These pachyderms weigh, on average between 6,000 and 12,000 pounds (3 to 6 tons) with heights of 6 to 12 feet at the shoulder. Males are typically larger than females. The largest elephant on record was a bull found in Assam, India in 1924 and weighed an estimated 7.7 tons, and stood 11.3 feet at the shoulder.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Kreangagirl