Did you know elephants can paint/draw?

[Dear Mami]

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I ignored this vid because of the thumbnail 4ever, assuming it was clickbait, only to finally see it and realize it's for real!!!!!!!  Naturally, I read around after, my mind utterly blown, and realized it's a thing! Since the late 80s.

Some people argue it's no sign of intelligence because the ellies make these elaborate paintings after being taught repeated movements forever. Others insist it's unethical because they think the animals must be abused in training them to do this. When left alone to paint without guidance, elephants (which appear to loooove painting) make doodly things.

I'm not saying they have human intelligence, but damn! I'm utterly against elephant killing now, even for culling purposes. It seems very wrong to me, for more reasons than just conservation.

[RV Pundit]

No way. These are clickbaits.

[Dear Mami]

No way. These are clickbaits.

I promise you, it's not. Watch, then google. They've been having them do this since 89, in East Asia, started by a mzungu conservationist. Tourists buy these paintings for LOTS of money, too (after watching them do it, live, as in the vid). 

[Arcadian_Dreamer]

This animal abuse. I hate animal exploitation videos. I love elephants.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I have always known about this.  Crows are also very intelligent.  Goats are also up there.  Arcadian_Dreamer, do you enjoy goat meat?

[Arcadian_Dreamer]

I have always known about this.  Crows are also very intelligent.  Goats are also up there.  Arcadian_Dreamer, do you enjoy goat meat?

Nope. Why?

[Dear Mami]

This animal abuse. I hate animal exploitation videos. I love elephants.

Not necessarily. I read elephants can be trained with positive reinforcements. Personally, I think having them do things like this can help with efforts to conserve them, i.e. utilizing human tendency to anthromorphosize. Their gentle nature and tight family/social systems, too. Their irresistibly adorable babies also help. Africans should make so much noise that Japan is forced to ban ivory trade. A good chunk of ordinary Westerners will join in and help.

[Dear Mami]

I have always known about this.  Crows are also very intelligent.  Goats are also up there. Arcadian_Dreamer, do you enjoy goat meat?

Are you for real?????? Or speaking tongue-in-cheek?

Maybe it's coz I eat them? I've always seen them and their brothers (sheep/antelopes/deer etc) as unintelligent. Maybe that's a way to make peace with my meero eating habits.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I have always known about this.  Crows are also very intelligent.  Goats are also up there. Arcadian_Dreamer, do you enjoy goat meat?

Are you for real?????? Or speaking tongue-in-cheek?

Maybe it's coz I eat them? I've always seen them and their brothers (sheep/antelopes/deer etc) as unintelligent. Maybe that's a way to make peace with my meero eating habits.

Yes.  We all have thought of goats as stupidity personified.  But yes, they are up there in cognition.  They remember people; they try to understand novel things; they are smarter than dogs.

[Dear Mami]

Goodness! I just googled and parsed a bit . . . I don't think I'm going to be comfortable eating goat after this.

[Arcadian_Dreamer]

I used to be hardcore vegan eschewing all meat at one time  I still think its noble I won't knock anyone who dabbles in it but unfortunately our biology is not designed for us to eat greens alone, only ruminants can do that. I eat non factory farmed grass fed organic beef from small farms that treat their animals with compassion. I don't eat chicken or goats sheep. I eat wild caught fish. Free range pasture raised eggs are also my thing. Lots cheese.

[gout]

Some times household animals become part of the family but we still had fun chasing them for a slaughter. 

Humans are quite something. You tend to a goat or a chicken and then feast on its carcass in celebratory mood.