The elephant is one of the most potent and well-loved symbols of Asia. While some still roam the forests and jungles of Southeast Asia, others have been the workers, weapons and companions of humanity since they were first domesticated, around four thousand years ago. Although elephants are no longer used in war, they are still important in some rural industries such as logging and construction.
Elephants live in herds under the leadership of the chief female; that is, they live in a matriarchic society. Young male elephants live with the herd but as they mature will join a bachelor group. The older males tend to live alone.
The Asian Elephant
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is quite different from the African elephant (Loxodonta Africana), which has much larger ears and wrinkled skins, more useful for dealing with the African heat while the Asian elephant occupies slightly cooler forested areas. There are four types of Asian elephant, the Malaysia, Sumatran, Sri Lankan and Indian elephants, which mostly vary as a result of adaptation to geographic locations. Most wild elephants in Southeast Asia are in the thickly forested and remote areas of Northern Laos, as well as in neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand, while some groups of wild elephants still roam the sub-tropical Xishuangbanna region on the southern border with China. The number of elephants that used to live in the wild may be guessed at by the name of the ancient kingdom of Lan Xang: the land of a million elephants.
The reverence often shown to elephants by Asian people tends to mean that elephants are well-treated and it is big news in Thailand every time a well-known elephant suffers any kind of misfortune. However, like all animals, elephants are subject to abuse and exploitation by cruel or inconsiderate mahouts. In one attempt to improve their lives, it is now forbidden for elephants to be brought into the city limits of Bangkok, where they used to be a common sight as they were led around the choked streets, while their mahouts held bunches of bananas for sale. However, there are still elephants seen around from time to time, especially during holiday periods.
The White Elephant
A particular set of legends is attached to the White Elephant. These are believed to be very special and virtuous creatures - for someone to have been reborn as a white elephant reveals evidence of plenty of good deeds in past lives. To own a white elephant is a privilege reserved only for a king or a great ruler. Indeed, elephants in Asian society were generally divided into three classes, partly based on their size. The largest were reserved to kings and their immediate families; the second class was available for the nobles and mandarins of a state while the third class could be used by suitably trained mahouts in battle.
Elephants live in herds under the leadership of the chief female; that is, they live in a matriarchic society. Young male elephants live with the herd but as they mature will join a bachelor group. The older males tend to live alone.
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is quite different from the African elephant (Loxodonta Africana), which has much larger ears and wrinkled skins, more useful for dealing with the African heat while the Asian elephant occupies slightly cooler forested areas. There are four types of Asian elephant, the Malaysia, Sumatran, Sri Lankan and Indian elephants, which mostly vary as a result of adaptation to geographic locations. Most wild elephants in Southeast Asia are in the thickly forested and remote areas of Northern Laos, as well as in neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand, while some groups of wild elephants still roam the sub-tropical Xishuangbanna region on the southern border with China. The number of elephants that used to live in the wild may be guessed at by the name of the ancient kingdom of Lan Xang: the land of a million elephants.
The reverence often shown to elephants by Asian people tends to mean that elephants are well-treated and it is big news in Thailand every time a well-known elephant suffers any kind of misfortune. However, like all animals, elephants are subject to abuse and exploitation by cruel or inconsiderate mahouts. In one attempt to improve their lives, it is now forbidden for elephants to be brought into the city limits of Bangkok, where they used to be a common sight as they were led around the choked streets, while their mahouts held bunches of bananas for sale. However, there are still elephants seen around from time to time, especially during holiday periods.
A particular set of legends is attached to the White Elephant. These are believed to be very special and virtuous creatures - for someone to have been reborn as a white elephant reveals evidence of plenty of good deeds in past lives. To own a white elephant is a privilege reserved only for a king or a great ruler. Indeed, elephants in Asian society were generally divided into three classes, partly based on their size. The largest were reserved to kings and their immediate families; the second class was available for the nobles and mandarins of a state while the third class could be used by suitably trained mahouts in battle.
Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Elephant! in East Asian History is owned by . Permission to republish Elephant! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
