Fresno Chaffee Zoo Gives Baby Elephant a Ball to Play with and It’s Too Cute for Words
If you're having one of those days and are looking for something to make you smile, this video that the Fresno Chaffee Zoo shared on Monday, September 9th is it! The video shows one of their adorable elephants playing with a ball (or maybe trying to figure out how to play with the ball is more accurate), and it's the cutest thing on the internet today!
What's so cute about the video is that the little one isn't exactly sure what to do with the huge ball. The baby wonders, do I lean on it? Is it something to rub up against? Does it move? Do I roll around next to it? I could watch this baby all day!
The baby elephant's ears are the best part! I couldn't love Fresno Chaffee Zoo's video anymore...unless it was longer, than I'd love it more! Commenter @xMomofFourx agreed, "OMG! The ears, the ears!" @sailorkitty19 pointed out, "His little trunk. I love how they have no idea what to do with it!" And I second what this commenter said, "I will babysit for free! Omg. Might not leave, ever." @Sandra Foulk Clark made me laugh when she said, 'That is either a very big ball or a VERY tiny baby elephant LOL!"
Related: Baby Elephant Splashing Around in Mud at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo Is So Irresistible
Why Elephants Flap Their Ears
Many of us were smitten by the baby elephant flapping its ears...but what does it mean? Nature and Wildlife TV breaks it down, "Elephants flap their ears primarily for two reasons: thermoregulation and communication. The large surface area of their ears and the dense network of blood vessels dissipate heat, helping the elephant cool down. Regarding communication, elephants use various ear movements to express emotions and intentions, from aggression to relaxation. Ear flapping can also serve as a deterrent to potential predators, making the elephant appear larger and more formidable."
What's interesting about elephant's ears are that different elephants have different shaped and sized ears, "African elephants, those living in hotter, more open environments, have larger ears that provide a greater surface area for heat dissipation. Asian elephants, inhabiting denser, shadier forests, require less cooling and thus have smaller ears."
As elephants flap their huge ears, they create a small breeze that helps to speed up the cooling process. Nature and Wildlife like it to, "stepping out of a cool shower and standing before a fan. This simple action can cool an elephant’s body by up to 5° Celsius (9° Fahrenheit)!"
Elephants also use their ears to communicate. A threatened elephant might spread their ears out wide to make themselves appear bigger. A relaxed elephant lets their ears hang loosely at their sides. They even wave their ears gently as a greeting and way of saying hello!
I also learned that elephants use their ears to indicate something of interest by pointing its ears towards a sound or object. This tells others to look or listen and helps the herd to coordinate its movements, notify them of danger, or as a way to make sure they're all staying together. Who knew that their ears did so much more than just listen!
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