Blackish Grey is the most common colour of elephants. The do exist in other colors as well but that appears on their skin condition, age and land they are living on.
Elephants love to play in mud and dirt which is why the color of mud and dirt often changes the color of their skin for time being which may make them look different. If they get themselves wet with water it may also make their skin color look slightly changed according to what their skin color was in real.
As elephants are found in different countries of the world that is why there can be found having different skin colors and hence different legends, myths, genetic disorders can be seen and heard which are associated to the skin color each possess.
Symbolism is also related to elephants which are used by different cultures and religions. These symbolisms have different meanings in countries like Indian, Chinese, Buddhism, Christianity and African mythology. Overall, they depict a positive symbolism all around the world.
Elephant different skin colors, legends and geographical areas
Different skin tones are observed in elephants around the world. There can be seen minor skin color changes in all elephants but most prominent skin colors other than blackish grey.
Let us see if how and why some elephants appear to have different skin color other than dark grey which is most common, legends and phrases associated to them and which geographical location they are found most commonly.
Pink Elephant
Yes, pink elephants do exist but they are very rare. Also, it is observed that Asian elephants can get pink skin with growing age or in case they are albino then they also appear pink at times.
Most of the pink elephants has been viewed in South Africa.
There is also a phrase called as ‘Pink elephant’ that is used when someone gets hallucinations due to being drunk.
White elephant
White elephants do exists but are also very rare. Those elephants who are albino appear to be white in color. Their toenails and eyelashes are lighter in color as well. When they get wet, their skin turns into light pink color. They appear pinkish white at times due to the visible blood vessels.
They can easily develop skin issues like blisters because of highly sensitive skin to the UV rays. Their life span is also very short.
Exact number is unknown for them but it is estimated that out of every 10,000 elephants 1 of them is born with albinism.
White elephant is considered very sacred and thus respectable animal in India, Thailand Bangladesh, Laos, Burma and Malaysia. They are considered to be more intelligent and emotionally stable than normal grey blackish elephants.
In India, white elephants are called as Airavata in Sanskrit, also called as abhra-Matanga (the elephant of clouds) due to its white skin.
A legend says that in ancient times Kings were used to gift white elephants to those people he was wanted to ruin because there is a lot of cost on feeding and maintaining white elephants also they have to take care of them as they cannot reject royal presents but no work can be taken from them which makes them a useless gift, in fact a burden on its bearer.
Relating to the above-mentioned legend, there is a phrase used in English as “White elephant” which is used to express about something which is very costly but does not bring any profit in return or is useless.
Red elephant
Yes, red elephants do exist. They are found in Kenya but bear in mind that is not their natural color. As previously I told that elephants love to play in dirt and mud so that red color is the color of red mud found in Kneya that is why elephants there are found having red skin color, in fact they are naturally born with normal blackish grey skin color.
Overall, it has been observed that these colored elephants particularly those who are albino are not accepted by their own community.
A phrase is used ‘Red elephant’ which means a person who takes a lot of space in room while dancing. There are other few meanings as well related to this phrase.
Cartoons and storybooks depicting different colored elephants
There are stories and cartoons which depicts these colored elephants.
Names of few of them are as follows.
- The red elephant (cartoon)
- My magic red elephant (cartoon
- The elephant and the ant (cartoon)
- King’s white elephant (cartoon)
- The white elephant (cartoon)
- The magic of the white elephant (cartoon)
- Pink animal on a magical playground (cartoon)
- The Legend of the Pink Elephant (storybook)
- Bubbly the pink elephant (story book)