Elephants are the biggest land mammals on earth. When in the vicinity of one of their habitats, you don't have to look too far to spot one. Their long trunks, fan-shaped ears, and tusks that sometimes act like a second hand are enough to give them away. Our selection of elephant quotes talks about the majesty of these amazing creatures and why we should protect them.
Elephants are also highly intelligent creatures with brains four times the size of the human brain. But the most fascinating thing about elephants isn't their size. It's their socially complex nature that, in one way, mirrors who we are as humans. Elephants can feel, mourn, express love, and so much more.
Unfortunately, according to Our World in Data, there are around 450,000 elephants left. Without conscious actions to protect them, these peaceful creatures may have no place in the future of our ecosphere.
Here are some quotes to remind you of the nature of elephants and why we must continue caring for them. For more elephant inspiration, check out our list of amazing elephant facts.
Quick links to our selection of elephant quotes:
Elephants genuinely take the cake regarding extraordinary and colossal physical attributes. With their muscular trunks, humongous ears, and imposing size, they're a sight to behold. But what's even more captivating is their ability to move with grace and agility, despite their massive build.
Many quotes about elephants highlight this unique combination of power and finesse, vividly depicting their elegance and strength. After all, it's not every day you come across a behemoth that can tip-toe through forests or savannas!
We start this section with a quote from Lyall Watson, a South African botanist, zoologist, biologist, anthropologist, and ethnologist. Watson authored many books, including his famous best-seller Supernature (Amazon). Watson had an early fascination for nature which he reflected in his works as a widely celebrated biologist author.
May these elephant quotes ignite your desire to see one of the huge old beasts in its natural habitat once in your life.
"If elephants didn't exist, you couldn't invent one. They belong to a small group of living things so unlikely they challenge credulity and common sense."
"Animals are everywhere. Some are more romantic, like tigers and elephants and chimpanzees, and some are less romantic, like earthworms, but they are just as interesting."
"When the elephants walk, the forests walks with them."
"Elephants, it turns out, are surprisingly stealthy. As the sunlight fades, other species declare their presence. Throngs of zebras and wildebeests thunder by in the distance, trailing dust clouds. Cape buffalo snort and raise their horns and position themselves in front of their young. Giraffes stare over treetops, their huge brown eyes blinking, then lope away in seeming slow motion. But no elephants."
"They say that somewhere in Africa the elephants have a secret grave where they go to lie down, unburden their wrinkled gray bodies, and soar away, light spirits at the end."
"There is no creature among all the Beasts of the world which hath so great and ample demonstration of the power and wisdom of Almighty God as the Elephant."
The evolution of elephants dates back over 60 million years. Their earliest ancestors, Moeritherium, are tapir-like mammals dwelling in swamps and rivers. These little critters gradually adapted and evolved, giving rise to the gigantic wooly mammoth and American Mastodon1.
Today, there are only three extant species. First, we have the Asian elephants (Elephas Maximus), the closest relatives of mammoths. The other two are African savanna (Loxodonta Africana) and African forest elephants (Loxodonta Cyclotis). Despite living on the same continent, they are distinct from each other.
This section includes quotes from Frans de Waal, a Dutch primatologist and ethologist, He is also a prestigious Charles Howard Candler Professor of Primate Behavior in the Department of Psychology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Even though he is widely known for his contributions to the controversial issue of primate social behavior, he also made observations and comparisons of elephants to primates and humans.
When we think of other animals closest to us in how they interact socially, the first that comes to our minds are the apes. However, like apes, elephants are just as friendly and intelligent even though they walk on all fours. Elephants can point using their trunks even without being taught, an unimaginable feat most intelligent animals have struggled to master.
Learn more about their evolution through the elephant quotes below.
"Unlike the primate hand, the elephant's grasping organ is also its nose. Elephants use their trunks not only to reach food but also to sniff and touch it. With their unparalleled sense of smell, the animals know exactly what they are going for. Vision is secondary."
"Although elephants are far more distantly related to us than the great apes, they seem to have evolved similar social and cognitive capacities."
"We know African and Asian elephants can interbreed, and they're separated by 5 million to 6 million years."
"More than two million years ago, mammoths and Asian elephants took different evolutionary paths and around the same time, according to DNA research, so did their lumbering relatives in Africa."
"African elephants have long been thought of as a single species, but a critical mass of genetic studies now proves there are two."
Aside from horses, elephants trampled through battlefields, helping shape military history. For example, the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal deployed these magnificent beasts to challenge the Roman Empire, leaving a lasting impression.
But our connection to elephants goes beyond warfare, as various societies attach cultural and religious significance to them. For example, people in Thailand have revered elephants for centuries, involving them in everything from royal ceremonies and religious events to today's tourism industry.
After checking our connection with the giants through the elephant quotes below, remember that our relationship with elephants has its downs, which we mention in the following sections.
"All around the edges of the platform where she sat, elephants stood patiently waiting for their breakfast. Occasionally, one would grunt or snort or flap its ears, but otherwise, they were as quiet as apparitions."
"Of all African animals, the elephant is the most difficult for man to live with… I can watch elephants (and elephants alone) for hours at a time, for sooner or later the elephant will do something very strange such as mow grass…"
"I really enjoyed staying at an encampment at the top of a hill in the Samburu Reserve in Kenya. You reach it on a small plane; there is no electricity, no city noises and you sleep and shower under the Milky Way, with moths fluttering around a kerosene lamp, knowing that there are elephants and lions roaming free in the valley."
"I have family in Tanzania. I can't even explain the joy of riding through the Tanzania national park and seeing giraffes run across the road and elephants over in a pond and baboons running."
"Everything that I love is behind those gates. We have elephants, and giraffes, and crocodiles, and every kind of tigers and lions. And we have bus loads of kids, who don't get to see those things. They come up sick children, and enjoy it."
Similar to their colossal size, elephants also boast the largest brain of any land animal, which allows them to demonstrate complex problem-solving skills and keen social awareness. In fact, elephants are one of the animals who passed the mirror self-recognition (MSR) test alongside apes and dolphins3.
In their natural habitat, elephants exhibit myriad astonishing behaviors that vividly depict their social intelligence. They forge intricate family structures and express emotions like grief, joy, and anger. Countless people witnessed them mourning the loss of a herd member, showing empathy for injured companions, and even engaging in playful antics.
Of course, we must mention their remarkable memories, which we discussed in the preceding sections. So, continue reading the elephant quotes below and get fascinated,
"Elephants are highly emotional. Whatever they are feeling, they let it out immediately, and the histrionics are over and forgotten in a moment, lasting no longer than the cloud formations that are constantly coming apart and reforming overhead. There is no guile in pachyderms."
"Elephants have the largest brains of any mammal on the face of the Earth. They are creative, altruistic and kind."
"You can look at your dog and see that it's thinking and has strong feelings. And if it does, so do wolves. And if wolves do, so do elephants. People aren't the only beings that think and feel."
"Elephants love reunions. They recognize one another after years and years of separation and greet each other with wild, boisterous joy. There's bellowing and trumpeting, ear flapping and rubbing. Trunks entwine."
"Elephants are like humans. They are very smart, very logical."
"An elephant always puts his foot into the hole which another elephant's foot has made so that a frequented track is nothing but a series of pits filled with mud and water."
Elephants, the majestic giants of the animal kingdom, face many threats that push them closer to the brink of extinction. According to the IUCN Red List, all three elephant species, unfortunately, have endangered or critically endangered conservation status. In particular, the elephant count has declined due to the poaching of elephant tusks, deforestation, and destructive land conversion.
Let's also talk about elephants in entertainment – a genuine circus, you might say. According to PETA, 'owners' ripped most animals in captivity (circuses and zoos) today away from their families as baby elephants from the wild. Then they forced the elephants to learn tricks in chains. Add to that the exploitation of elephants in religious and cultural practices, such as processions and parades, and you've got a recipe for abuse.
From Chinese actress and environmental activist Li Bing Bing to American young adult and children's fiction writer K.A. Applegate, read the following elephant quotes that reflect these animals' harsh reality.
"The threat of extinction is more real than many realise. And the damage done to elephants directly leads to destruction of the ecosystem."
"I hate to witness animals in captivity or see circus elephants paraded down the streets. When animals are caged, it's a loss of what they are."
"It's estimated that across Africa 100 elephants are killed for their tusks every day. It takes nothing more than simple math to get to what that adds up to in a year, and it's a distressing figure."
"Sumatra has these lush forests and huge, amazing creatures like elephants, orangutans, and tigers. They're disappearing because of industry coming in and cutting down the forests."
"Illegal killings of elephants are being linked to organized crime and the funding of armed militia groups. Many consumers in Asia do not realize that by buying ivory, they are playing a role in the illegal wildlife trade and its serious consequences."
"Our elephants are under siege because of an illegal international market that has driven ivory prices in the region up significantly. I call upon the international community to join us in this fight."
A crucial aspect of successful elephant conservation lies in involving communities that live alongside elephants. By encouraging community-led initiatives and fostering a sense of ownership, we can create a world where humans and elephants coexist harmoniously.
To further grasp the sense of urgency of the elephant conservation quotes below, we should remind ourselves of the pivotal role elephants play in maintaining ecosystems. As keystone species, our tusked friends contribute to the health and vitality of their habitats by digging holes to create water access, making pathways in dense forests, and many more.
Imagine if we continue to strip nature away. May the following elephant quotes remind us to preserve our environment and how everything in it is part of who we are. It is our identity, and we should make it our obligation to make it a safer and better place, not just for ourselves but for the animals too.
"The sad thing about destroying the environment is that we're going to take the rest of life with us. The bluebirds will be gone, and the elephants will be gone, and the tigers will be gone, and the pandas will be gone."
"Preventing ongoing extinction of elephants, rhinoceroses, and other threatened species is critically important. By all means, we must set priorities for allocating finite conservation resources."
"So often we talk about saving the planet, but what we really mean is to save the planet the way it is, so we can live here. So that is can sustain us. Because the planet doesn't need to be saved. It doesn't care if all the squirrels, elephants, and trees die and there's just a couple of amoebas floating around at the poles."
"We are not the only animal that mourns; apes do, and elephants, and dogs. Yet we are the only one that tortures."
"The question of one versus two species of African elephants isn't about settling an arcane DNA argument; it's about life or death for these majestic, extraordinary creatures."
Richard Erskine Frere Leakey is a Kenyan palaeoanthropologist, conservationist, politician, founder of the NGO WildlifeDirect, and chairman of the Kenya Wildlife Service. In a riveting 2005 interview with Spiegel, Leakey offered his unique insights into the challenges elephants in Africa face and the pressing need for conservation initiatives.
Drawing from his extensive knowledge and experience, Leakey delivers valuable information, illuminating the plight of these colossal animals.
Leakey's work encompasses not only the study of human origins but also the protection of Kenya's unique archaeological sites and natural habitats. He candidly discusses the main threat elephants encounter — poachers hunting them for ivory. This shameful act has since seen the number of elephants today drop. Though most countries and animal lovers do all they can to protect elephants, we can still do more.
Read the elephant quotes from Leakey's interview to increase your awareness.
"Elephants can live to an age of up to 70 or 80 years and they have a good memory. It could be they come across an area that is experiencing a drought. Then they continue on their path and run into people."
"Earlier, 100,000 elephants lived in Kenya and we didn't have any noteworthy problem with it. The problem that we have is not that there are now more elephants."
"The problem is that during the 1980s, a decade of heavy poaching, the elephants retreated to safer areas. And now people have moved into the corridors once used by the elephants."
"It was only after the ban on ivory trade was introduced that elephant poaching was significantly reduced. And the claim that ivory trade would help preserve the elephant population is totally unproven."
Mark Roland Shand was a British travel writer, conservationist, and the brother of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. He was the chairman of Elephant Family, a wildlife foundation he co-founded in 2002.
His thrilling journey across India on Tara, a rescued Indian elephant, is recounted in his fascinating book "Travels on My Elephant." (Amazon) The captivating tale not only spotlights the deep connection between humans and elephants but also highlights the challenges these gentle giants face in their fight for survival
The first quote from Shand in this section talks about how our inflating population leads us to tear down wildlife habitats to construct roads and more houses. When this happens, we displace animals like elephants from their natural habitats. He also talked about their humanness. At some point in our lives, we may endure long bouts of depression over troubling issues. Sadly, elephants feel the same way, especially when we steal them away from their families and lock them up.
Shand's words continue to push us to act on behalf of these extraordinary beings. So, let's dive into the wisdom of Mark Shand through his elephant quotes below.
"Surrounded by a burgeoning human population, Asian elephants have to contend with the spread of settlements and farming, and the demands of rapidly developing nations: plantations, mines, railways, and irrigation canals have carved up former wilderness."
"I've known elephants with broken hearts, others with depression."
"Elephants seek food elsewhere if their route is blocked, and raiding crops and grain stores brings them into conflict with people, often resulting in deaths on both sides."
"There are 13 Asian countries that still have elephants, and Elephant Family is looking to invest in further projects that will be the most critical for saving elephants while there is still time."
"Save the elephants, and then you save the forest and then you save yourself."
"Elephants love to play around. They are very intelligent animals. They have a strong bond, at times stretching to several decades, with their mahouts."
Throughout history, elephants have influenced cultures worldwide. In Hinduism, for instance, the revered elephant-headed deity Ganesha embodies wisdom and knowledge. On the other hand, many African cultures see elephants as a symbol of power.
The elephants' emotional capacity reminds us to be empathic. At the same time, their tenacious spirits inspire us to tackle our own challenges head-on, even when the odds seem stacked against us.
By embracing the life lessons and symbolism of elephants, we gain a richer understanding of these magnificent creatures and ourselves. So, let's raise a trunk to celebrate their enduring wisdom, love, and resilience through the inspirational elephant quotes below.
"We admire elephants in part because they demonstrate what we consider the finest human traits: empathy, self-awareness, and social intelligence. But the way we treat them puts on display the very worst of human behavior."
"We read our children stories starring elephants and monkeys and bears to teach them about nobility, curiosity and courage, to warn them against selfishness and stubbornness."
"She owned the road as an elephant owns the veldt and like a big blue elephant moved with massive grace and dignity."
"When you have got an elephant by the hind legs and he is trying to run away, it's best to let him run."
"The worst place to be is in the middle. When elephants fight, the grass gets trampled."
"And the elephant sings deep in the forest maze About a star of deathless and painless peace But no astronomer can find where it is."
"When the elephant decides to walk through the village, all the dogs come out and bark."
Elephants have also made countless metaphors that we use in our everyday conversations. Take, for instance, the expression ‘a memory like an elephant.’ Aside from having the largest brain for terrestrial mammals, studies reveal that elephants stand out in long-term spatial-temporal and social memory2.
Then there's the metaphor ‘the elephant in the room,’ addressing those glaring issues that are present but deliberately ignored due to their uncomfortable or taboo nature. Finally, let's not forget the quirky ‘pink elephant,’ symbolizing the improbable or impossible.
The metaphorical elephant quotes below highlight the enduring influence of these animals on our collective imagination. After reading, figure out its profound meaning and research its interesting origins.
"I have a memory like an elephant. In fact, elephants often consult me."
"If there's a pink elephant in the room, I'll identify it and say it."
"Psychoanalysts and elephants, they never forget."
"He who mounts a wild elephant goes where the elephant goes."
"Without being an elephant sycophant, it is relevant to note that an infant elephant is a lieutenant giant."
"When there is an invisible elephant in the room, one is from time to time bound to trip over a trunk."
"Wallowing was for elephants, depressing people, and depressing elephants."
"The young elephant is born with a thick skin."
"It is the ant, not the lion, which the elephant fears."
Every year on August 12th, Elephant Day unites elephant lovers worldwide to share their passion and admiration for these gentle giants. Posting short, striking quotes on social media can pique a broader audience's interest and also contribute to raising awareness of elephant conservation.
The short elephant quotes in this section come from different walks of life, from Paul American economist Craig Roberts to Prince Harry, from singer Camilla Cabello to athlete Yao Ming. Their messages portray how the creatures are not just elegant but also one of a kind.
"Elephants are magnificent creatures."
"People don't realize how amazing elephants are."
"I love elephants! It's my favorite animal."
"No one in the world needs an elephant tusk but an elephant."
"Elephants are contagious."
"Only elephants should own ivory."
| 1 | Rohland N, Reich D, Mallick S, Meyer M, Green RE, Georgiadis NJ, et al. (2010) Genomic DNA Sequences from Mastodon and Woolly Mammoth Reveal Deep Speciation of Forest and Savanna Elephants. PLoS Biol 8(12): e1000564. |
| 2 | Benjamin L. Hart, Lynette A. Hart, Noa Pinter-Wollman, Large brains and cognition: Where do elephants fit in?, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 32, Issue 1, 2008, Pages 86-98, |
| 3 | Plotnik, J. M., de Waal, F. B., & Reiss, D. (2006). Self-recognition in an Asian elephant. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 103(45), 17053-17057. |
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