More than 60 years ago Jane Goodall, while working with Chimps in the jungles of Tanzania, made an astonishing discovery. She saw an adult male chimp take a twig, bend it to the desired shape and use it as a tool to fish out ants from an anthill. That discovery dethroned humans who were till that point thought as the only “tool makers” on the planet. Now this video of elephants doing art dethrones humans as the only “art makers” on the planet.
Increasingly our vision as “lords of the planet” is crumbling. We are just co-inhabitants. Other species on the planet express the same consciousness that we do. The only difference is in degrees. We are tuned into a broader spectrum of consciousness than most other species, that is the only difference. Our obligation to the eco-system that supports all life on earth now becomes much bigger. Are we going to be up to the challenge?
Related:
BBC on Elephant self-potrait: first time ever!
Article on how the elephants are trained
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