“Lawrence Anthony (the author of the elephant whisperer) passed away this weekend. The herd of elephants all came to his house to mourn his passing. It has been said for a long time time that elephants mourn their dead, what more proof do you need. This shows he was one of them. RIP Lawrence Anthony. Tonight at Thula Thula, the whole herd arrived at the main house, home to Lawrence and I. We had not seen them here for a very long time. Extraordinary proof of animal sensitivity and awareness that only a few human can perceive. And Lawrence was one of them. Thank you for your wonderful messages. Lawrence’s legacy will be with us forever at Thula Thula.”
Entire Herd of Elephants Return to Mourn Loss of Lawrence Anthony
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[…] protocol22 DrSteveBest.wordpress.com March 7, 2012 […]
Dr. Steve Best 
Beautiful…tears in my eyes ❤
RIP Elephant Whisperer
This post got me a bit salty. RIP Elephant Whisperer
*Tears* Elephants are the most beautiful of sentient souls, their intelligence and sensitivities are akin to Whales to me.. how incredible that they show love so deep to cross the species barrier, esp. with so many other humans proving to be so evil towards them. Sorry I did not have the chance to meet such an amazing man that whisper’s with Elephants. RIP wonderful soul, but really hope that he can continue to whisper to the Elephants from wherever he may be.
I deeply regret not kmnowing him or his work, check out his website: http://www.lawrenceanthony.co.za/gallery
Thank you. My deepest condolences to you and to the elephants who mourn his passing. What further proof do we need?
Elephants are clearly a superior species, and Lawrence Anthony a kindred soul, one of the few humans who should be allowed to walk and share the earth with the vast community of life, for he has the wisdom and love to walk with the grace and sensitivity of an elephant.
A very special world has lost a very special advocate. RIP Elephant Whisperer.
Ty, the photos are so revealing of the interaction he had with the animals, just so damn cool, he looks too young to have died yet :(, but am sure there are folks carrying on his mission, but many, many more like him are needed so much.
Rest in Peace with all the beautiful ones who’ve gone before, Lawrence Anthony, thank you for loving and respecting life, for proving what should be obvious to us all…they matter…extremely so.
RIP Lawrence Anthony. Thank you for all that you did for the elephants. Animals are far more intelligent and sensitive than most humans and they know when someone truly loves and feels for them. They are also aware when humans do not eat them.
Although I never had the pleasure of meeting you I am sure your passion for the work U have done will not go unnoticed……..Wherever you lay may flowers always bloom…….(:)
What a touching act by the elephants! Reaching across the species barrier to acknowledge the passing of a being who devoted his life to them. If human beings could only see beyond themselves and their selfish needs, to the understand and accept the presence of other flora and fauna on this planet, without exploring them to the point of extinction!
Too beautiful for words<3
Oh my God, this is truly beautiful. Thank you for posting this.
You are my greatest hero, although we never met i admired you forever for all the great work you did for animlas. The Animal kingdom will be alot sadder place without you out there on their side. R.I.P. my love to your family. Thank you for just being you……….Jackie Rushton from Australia
Elephants are very intelligent, and artistic – as I have seen film of them painting self portraits and still lives of flowers.
What a touching story!! Thank you for sharing this. This will keep a special place in my heart.
😉
My deep sorrow for your loss! I have loved elephants & their sensitivities for years. They are truly wonderful social animals who can teach humans a great deal.
This article and picture had a deeply profound impact on me… Thank you, thank you, ever so much for posting this Love.
Thanks for this… we are spreading it over Facebook…. that is where I found it.. blessings
Is this a true story or an elegant elephant hoax?
Wonderful man he was, and the elephants knew that. Great Inter species connection. So honored to have met him and the herd at Thula Thula
RIP My Gentle Giant of the Giants…U R Loved ALL OVER..within yr own and our own…<3
I am not surprised at all.
We can only but learn from animals.
They are constantly connected with Spirit.
The only thing which prevents humans from this connection is their rational thinking – ego based and result of informations being passed on by others.
Because it was written by the Thula Thula people, and they have a facebook site immediately responding to Anthony’s death, and the post seems to have come from them, I am inclined to believe it is true. But with great trepidation and all due respect, I wrote to ask someone to confirm the elephant’s mourning, I hope the question is not taken wrongly, but I wanted to comfirm this myself. I will report back if and when I get an answer. But it certainly seems true after reading hundreds of posts on the Thula Thula webpage.
i TOTLLY AGREE…THEY HAVE THE MEMORY…LKE MY MOTHER IS LIKE AN ELEPHANT…NEVER FORGET…
Pics or it didn’t happen.
And the elephants whispered back their love.
I feel we certainly don’t give animals the credit they so deserve for the intelligence, the heart and the beings that they are. — Those that embrace animals and respect them rightfully so, will certainly be blessed beyond what others can even fathom.
Olga- I couldn’t agree with you more. Well said. 🙂
I just finished reading his book. It was so good. I’m sure he was meant at the gates to heaven by Mnumzane. Rest In Peace eLEPHANT MAN.
The picture of the elephant herd allegedly is the herd that walked to his house, I am trying to get this verified
Such a loss…not enough people like him in the world. RIP my friend.
Like all living beings they feel, they just want to be happy. May they be happy 🙂
Reblogged this on The World of The Tiger Princess and commented:
This is a sad, but wonderful proof that Elephants are sentient…
Only humans are dumb enough or cruel enough or arrogant enough to believe that all the other beings on earth are eitehr inferior or lack sentience.
YES, other species do THINK, do FEEL, do EMOTE, and are sentient. Many of them have those qualities in ways that we cannot perceive or fully appreciate.
Now who are the sentient ones?
So sorry for the loss of Lawrence Anthony, a man of great quality and kindness. May he rest in peace with those who have gained his comradeship.
Allison Moss-Fritch
About the actuality of this event and the elephant dirge, I received these two comments from a woman on the Thula Thula Facebook page:
Sheena Macnab Harvey Yes they did – have seen photos of this.
9 hours ago · Like.
Sheena Macnab Harvey It is on this page and posted by a family member.
Thank God for Noah & his Ark, or we would we would have never experienced these gentle giants.Rest in peace Lawrence anthony and for the self sacrificing, all important, experiential time spent in study of these wonderful creatures.If anyone is still not convinced that elephants do not form strong bonds and are not capable of memory or emotion.Please read the novel; Water for Elephants. It wil not only make you think , it will make you comprehend the power of emotion between man and beast. Lin K.
Dear Steve,
Has this been picked up by the international media? Please please share the story far and wide. We need these stories to awaken homo sapiens to the truths we are so blind to and to reconnect with the stunning reality of this jewell of a planet! (with a slim hope that it may stlll happen before we destroy it)
magical. RIP elephant whisperer
Not that I know, a quick Google search would turn it up soon enough
I am as touched as anyone, amased as the next person on things relating to animals. However, there’s something I am curious about. Just how would the elephants know he had passed?
These are beings who communicate with sound vibrations through their feet, who know when community mmembers are being killed miles away, who suffer post-traumatic stress syndrome (see Gay Bradshaw’s work on this), and mourn their own dead. The best answer I can provide is that they considered him part of their community, they someehow knew he had passed, and they came to his house. This is what his wife, Francoise Anthony, wrote on the Facebook page of Thula Thule: ” Tonight at Thula Thula, the whole herd arrived at the main house, home to Lawrence and I. We had not seen them here for a very long time. Extraordinary proof of animal sensitivity and awareness that only a few human can perceive. And Lawrence was one of them.”
That’s the best I can do, and what makes this remarkable, assuming it happened and it appears to be true, is that it cannot be easily explained except through the extraordinary sensitivities, knowing, and empathetic powers of elephants.
Thank you for finding words I couldn’t.
How did they know? It seems that the elephants are not only sensitive and emotional, but also psychic?
I concur. After you?
why don’t you do some research and look into it? animals have all kinds of abilities we dont have, i dont have these answers about their abilities except to guide you to some literature or to the Thula Thula FB page, but the family is in mourning, and so I was hesitant to ask the one question I did, I am not about to pester them or their page again this moment; but you can write Mark Bekoff or Gay Bradshaw for some ideas I am sure they have; the elephants may have seen his body laid out somewhere, sensed grief at the house, who knows yet, except hell yes they have capacities and sensitivities we do not have in our rational dullness
I’m moved beyond words. I’m thankful to share this planet with such magnificence.
SO WELL SAID
Hi Francoise, I’ve just started reading Lawrence’s book and have been touched and inspired. I was recently at an elephant interaction centre close to mabalingwe in the Waterberg and was absolutely fascinated. I would love to work with elephants myself some day!
How sad to hear of his passing. He remains in your heart.
Lots of love from a South African in Sweden
RIP Elephant Whisperer…
It would have been really nice if a clip on this elephant herd mourning the death of Lawrence Anthony had presented itself rather than a 2-minute college commercial. Where is the clip I was hoping to actually view?
How beautiful :’) Suck it to the people who say that animals don’t have feelings. Must’ve been a beautiful but sad sight to see the herd come and visit. May he rest in peace.
My mom and I have always loved elephants. Intelligent. Majestic. Wise creatures. I would love to work with them in the future.
I was so very taken with his book.it was absolutely amazing inspiring and thought provoking. I thought of him often on our last trip to the bush. I am so sorry for your loss and amazed that these beautiful creatures came back to mourn his passing .
Amazing animals, I’ve always loved elephants. I’m sorry to learn of this man’s death before I was even aware of his work. RIP, Lawrence.
Elephants are amazing and wonderful animals. The Elephant Sanctuary help to save their lives. I don’t have any association with them, but to try to give to them when possible. http://www.elephants.com/
I am with you. I have had an affinity for elephants for a very long time. Now is not the time for my story; rather it is time to be still and tune into the awesome elephant presence, from which we can learn that we inhabit this planet with amazing sentient beings, and it is often a death or passing that brings this home to our psyche…..May the whispering continue/begin.
Have read the Elephant Whisperer and thought it to be the most amazing book I have read this year – am so sad to hear of his passing and my deepest condolences to you and to his precious elephants especially Nana.
Elephants, like whales, have a hearing range that far exceeds ours, and in a deeper tone then we can hear, that travels a long distance. animals of course can understand each others verbal comments, only we humans seem to be deaf to the nuances of animal’s converstaions. When equipment is used that hears and captures animals sounds and they are sped up or slowed down to be in our range it has been discovered that elephants and whales have entire conversations amongst their pods/herd, out of our hearing range. Mice have been recorded actually singing to each other in a high pitch. SInce it has been proved that they can hear over enormous ranges, its quite possible that they heard his presence cease, or otherwise heard sounds of distress and grief from those closer to the residence. Having been with those who passed on, i can tell you that the silence is deafening. Hope this helps…
You can also read the story as reported in our local press… http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/wildlife-guru-dies-wild-elephants-visit-site-1.1251681
now THAT is a ‘human’ being… thank you.
saw no video..just a commercial
What the elephants remember we cannot forget. We mourn our innocence but dare to create a world of peace and love and longevity for the soul. My deep condolences for your loss Steve.
I don’t think we can let one event convince us that the elephants appeared by somehow knowing Lawrence died. Such claims require more than wishful interpretation. It’s a touching and sweet interpretation, but we have to be faithful to reality, knowing that sometimes coincidences do happen.
One of the biggest men that walked this earth.
Such a profound and loving connection. How we forget the power of love, until in a seemingly unusual way, we see the power of its magnetism in action.
Thank you for posting.
I have read the book and visited Thula Thula where I also had the honour of meeting Lawrence, I am pretty certain this happened, he had a bond with the elephants which is impossible to explain or understand.
We have much to learn from our animal friends ! RIP Lawrence Anthony – thank you for what you gave to them, and us !
Thank you. This helps address the skeptical comment above.
This applies to your skepticism (and I agree we should be critical about media reports and I have tried to have this verified), a post provided by a reader below: http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/wildlife-guru-dies-wild-elephants-visit-site-1.1251681
i never posted a video about the story, it was a commercial that wordpress added as they do every so often
There is no clip I am even aware of, you and at least two others are confusing something I allegedly posted, which I never did but wish i had such a clip, with a wordpress commercial THEY posted arbitrarily (as they are wont to do) at the end of the piece (it is now gone) because alas, this is a free blog and I get what I pay for, and put up with the rare video commercials they post. Sorry for the confusion and disappointment, but I have no video to post, but should anyone find one, please share it on this thread!!
@ Carl, This is not just one event, you are not listening..thousands of events everyday if you open your eyes to see. You have lost your animal intuition to be able to communicate without speech. That is the very essence of what you need to accept other species as equals. I personally, feel most animals are more sensitive and intelligent than many humans, Elephants, Whales, Dolphins, Horses, Primates, Cats and Dogs (wild and domestic) show superior moral fiber that specifically indicates a higher level of intelligence to me.
RIP ellephant wisperer
I mourn his death… and also the day that we forgot that we are no more than our fellow animals on this once beautiful earth. Rest in peace Great Man among Great Beasts and Beings…
And yet we continue to kill animals en-mass on a daily basis. Cows, sheep etc. are just as smart as elephants!
Sensitive beautiful creatures. If only humans could be the same.
What more proof do you need — this phrase is a question. You should have written “It has been said for a long time that elephants mourn their dead. What more proof do you need?” One phrase is a sentence, one a question.
I so want to see and share this video, but the only thing playing now are advertisements? Has the link changed?
no video, never was, is no video anywhere I have seen it is ONLY an ad by and for wordpress, and pops up now and then, because, to my embarassment, i have not upgraded and this is free, and so they can drop ads on occassion as they do; if you see an ad ever, it is an ad and only and ad, when i can upgrade i will, but i have not heard of any video of this event, and i certainly never posted any, not thjat frickin’ annoying add people are constantly confused by
Please direct me to the Elephants, please! All I saw are commercials.
4TH TIME I HAVE MENTIONED THIS: There is no video, none i am aware of, i never posted one; this is an advertisement placed there by wordpress
ellies are amazing animals as was the elephant whisperer an amazing human.
Thank you, Dr. Best!…A very nice statement about Lawrence Anthony!
We are fahrenheit451usedbooks We Resist! We are fah451bks.com We Occupy Books; we agree “Resistance is the oxygen of the future. Live to resist, resist to live”. Sorry to hear about Lawrence Anthony he absence will leave a hole in all our souls. Be Well We Resist!
Reblogged this on Fahrenheit 451 Used Books and commented:
We are fahrenheit451usedbooks We Resist! We are fah451bks.com We Occupy Books. We have lost a great soul!
what a nice reply. i agree. they are such extrordinary animals. just beautiful inside and out.
This shows the that we are part and puzzle of nature. Only man choose to live
differently or separetly but all other god’s creation choose otherwise.They co exist and
co-prosper. This great soul was in their midst and became on of them and the lovely
elephants took him into their fold and showed their gratitude on the final journey, great
I heard of Lawrence Anthony’s death only today. I bought his book The Elephant Whisperer in October 2009 and found it poignant.
What devotion and love he displayed towards the elephants that he took into his property!
His death was untimely. May his soul rest in peace and may his family take comfort in knowing that this wonderful being is in a good place.
Hey Steve, can you please give me a link to the video… JUST KIDDING! LOL @ everyone who kept asking without reading your previous comments!