elephant

Watch What Happens When Scavengers Find a Several-Ton Carcass

Watch What Happens When Scavengers Find a Several-Ton Carcass

Published September 10, 2018

An African elephant can weigh up to seven tons and can live for 70 years. When one of these behemoths dies, it is mourned. Worn paths radiating like the spokes of a wheel often surround a dead elephant, created by other pachyderms traveling to visit the remains over the course of days, weeks, or even years.

But in a circle of life writ extra-large, the natural death of an elephant also means survival for many others, including some currently threatened and endangered species. A horde of hungry animals quickly descends to reduce the carcass to bones, gulping down millions of calories in just a few days…