Why are Asian elephants considered smarter and more productive than African elephants?
African elephants apparently were not going to work until some belgian dude made them work in the 19th century. Asian elephants had been working for all of recorded history. Very odd.
Elephants have been working animals since at least the Indus Valley Civilization[132] and continue to be used in modern times. There were 13,000–16,500 working elephants employed in Asia as of 2000. These animals are typically captured from the wild when they are 10–20 years old, when they can be trained quickly and easily, and will have a longer working life.[133] They were traditionally captured with traps and lassos, but since 1950, tranquillisers have been used.[134] Individuals of the Asian species are more commonly trained to be working animals, although the practice has also been attempted in Africa. The taming of African elephants in the Belgian Congo began by decree of Leopold II of Belgium during the 19th century and continues to the present with the Api Elephant Domestication Centre.[135]
Asian elephants perform tasks such as hauling loads into remote areas, moving logs into trucks, transporting tourists around national parks, pulling waggons and leading religious processions.[133] In northern Thailand, the animals are used to digest coffee beans for Black Ivory coffee.[136] They are valued over mechanised tools because they can work in relatively deep water, require relatively little maintenance, need only vegetation and water as fuel and can be trained to memorise specific tasks. Elephants can be trained to respond to over 30 commands.[133] Musth bulls can be difficult and dangerous to work with and are chained until the condition passes.[137] In India, many working elephants are alleged to have been subject to abuse. They and other captive elephants are thus protected under the The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960.[138]
