Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Pics of Funny Animals

Pics of Funny Animals Biography

Source: google.com.pk

The lush riverside vegetation sways as a herd of elephant wends its way between the broken pools. Standing at the top of an embankment, a half-grown male is watching a larger elephant trudge up the slope toward it.

Without warning, the youngster squats down on his haunches (just like a dog) and launches himself down the slope. Slithering at a good speed, he collides (with an audible thump) into the elephant below, sweeping them both, in a flurry of waving limbs and trunks, to the foot of the hill. There, lying on their stomachs, the pair jousts, twisting and parrying with trunk and tusk.

Meanwhile up above, an onlooker waits, scuffing his feet impatiently and swinging his trunk from side to side. He seems to be waiting for them to clear the trail, but when the two finally begin to traipse up the slope, he squats and whooshes down to create a three-elephant pile up.

What these elephants are up to is a mystery.

In fact, it’s one of the greatest enigmas in the field of animal behaviour.

A pachyderm rite of passage? An evolutionary precursor to bob-sledding? Itchy-rump syndrome?

No, these elephants are playing, and science has no idea why.

Now I know what you’re thinking:

‘Come off it, everyone knows that young animals play to prepare for adulthood.’

The lion cub pinning his sister in a headlock is learning how to make dinner; the capering impala fawns are practicing their escape routine. And the tobogganing elephants are… er… um…  Oh yeah, play also promotes camaraderie, so the elephants are slip-sliding their way into life-long alliances.

I hate to tell you, but knowing this is like knowing that chocolate gives you pimples, or you’ll catch a cold from walking in the rain.

OK, I realise it’s not your fault; I’ve seen the myriad wildlife documentaries too.

But as far as science is concerned, there’s not one iota of evidence to support these myths.

And if anyone should know, it’s me (but I’ll get to that).

Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals
Pics of Funny Animals

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