Do Elephants Really Have a Good Memory?

I don't usually like these heart-warming stories, but this one is truly
interesting...

In 1986, Mike Hogan was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from
North-western University. On a hike through the bush, he came across a
young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air.

The elephant seemed distressed so Mike approached it very carefully. He
got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large
piece of wood deeply imbedded in it.

As carefully and as gently as he could, Mike worked the wood out with
his hunting knife. The elephant gingerly put down his foot..

The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather curious look on
it's face, stared at him for several tense moments.

Mike stood frozen, thinking about being trampled. Eventually the
elephant trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away.

Mike never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.


Twenty-one years later, Mike was walking through the Chicago Zoo with
his teenaged sons.

As they approached the elephant closure, one of the elephants turned and
walked over to where Mike and his son were standing.

The large bull elephant stared at Mike, lifted its front foot off the
ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then
trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mike couldn't help wondering if this
was the same elephant.

Mike summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way
into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back.

The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Mike's
legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.


Probably wasn't the same elephant.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating