Wonders shall never end. What a human can do, an animal can do even better. It actually sounds incredulous to know elephants can puff smoke.

SMOKING ELEPHANT

In Nagarahole National Park, India, a wild elephant was smoking when someone captured the exciting moment it was having. One of the scientists and researchers at Wildlife Conservation Society named Vinay Kumar filmed the video while undergoing some projects in the park. In a report released, the Wildlife Conservation Society said;

“The video was taken in Nagarahole National Park when our team, comprising Mr. Kumar, Srikanth Rao and three field staff, was involved in a project undertaking long-term monitoring of tiger and prey populations,”

The first ever video documentation showing an elephant puffing smoke has left the scientist perplexed. Though the incident happened sometimes in April 2016, but the video of the smoking elephant recently went viral on internet. Mr Kumar did not realize the importance of the video then, hence the late release.

In a YouTube video, the wild elephant was ingesting something from the burnt remains of the bush. A biologist named Varun R. Goswani examined the baffling video and concluded that the big mammal must have ingested some form of charcoal.

“most probably, the elephant was trying to ingest wood charcoal, as she appeared to be picking up something from the burnt forest floor, blowing away the ash that came along with it in her trunk, and consuming the rest”.

“Charcoal has well recognized toxin-binding properties, and although it may not not have much nutritional content, wild animals may be attracted to it for this medicinal value,”.
 

“Charcoal can also serve as a laxative, thereby doubling its utility for animals that consume it after forest fires, lighting strikes, or controlled burns.”

source: youtube.com

Did you ever think animals could smoke? What animal behaviour has baffled you before?