The American Museum of Natural History has unveiled The Secret World of Elephants exhibit on November 13, offering an insightful exploration into the 60-million-year evolution of elephants and their relatives. The exhibition delves into their remarkable minds and bodies, their interactions with humans and the environment, and the challenges threatening their survival.
The exhibition sheds light on intriguing aspects of elephants, such as how they “hear” with their feet, the intricacies of their 16 trunk muscles, and their role in shaping the ecosystems they inhabit. The Secret World of Elephants conveyes the latest scientific discoveries about both modern and ancient elephant relatives, emphasizing their significance to the environment and the ongoing efforts to safeguard their existence.
President of the American Museum of Natural History, Sean M. Decatur, expressed his enthusiasm for presenting this comprehensive exploration of elephants, highlighting the museum’s proficiency in narrating broader stories about evolution, the environment, animal behavior, and the complex interactions between humans and animals.
Life-size models, fossils, casts, interactive displays, and videos contribute to the fascinating story of these colossal mammals. Despite their present majesty, the exhibit underscores the significant decline in elephant species, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts.
The exhibition categorizes its exploration into four main themes: Evolution, Body, Mind, and Habitat. Evolution traces back 60 million years, depicting the diverse proboscidean family tree. Visitors encounter life-sized models of extinct relatives, including a shedding woolly mammoth and dwarf elephants from Sicily.
The Body section explores the physical attributes of elephants, emphasizing their status as the largest land animals. Interactive exhibits showcase their unique abilities, including the use of infrasound for communication and the astonishing amount of food they consume daily.
The Mind section delves into the cognitive aspects of elephants, emphasizing their social bonds, communication methods, and expressive sounds. Visitors are encouraged to “speak elephant” by observing social behaviors and participating in interactive displays.
The Habitat theme highlights elephants as ecosystem engineers, detailing their impact on forests and savannas. Visitors can witness the ways in which elephants reshape their environment through eating, trampling, and creating water holes, influencing the survival of numerous species.
The exhibition concludes with a reflection on the historical and contemporary relationship between humans and elephants, exploring instances of training for war and work. Cultural artifacts underscore elephants’ enduring significance as religious and political symbols across various cultures.
Conservation-themed interactive displays address contemporary issues such as ivory trade, climate change, and human-elephant conflict. A documentary film featuring the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya provides a real-world perspective on elephant conservation efforts.
The exhibition serves as an opportunity to expand public understanding of elephants, their role in ecosystems, and the critical need for conservation measures.
Reserve your timed-entry tickets.Also make sure to explore the museums new Gilder Center.
