As reported in the AP, six Asiatic wild elephants were electrocuted after drinking alcohol in northeast India and going berserk. Apparently the animals have developed a taste for rice beer, fermented by farmers in plastic drums, and come looking for it when they enter villages. Perhaps taking a cue from the aforementioned self-immolating squirrel, the elephants then uprooted a utility pole and, sadly, zapped themselves. "It's great to have such a huge number of elephants, but the increasing man-elephant conflict following the shrinkage in their habitat due to the growing human population is giving us nightmares," said Pradyut Bordoloi, former Assam Forest and Environment Minister.
On another note, three separate people sent me this article with all three of them saying they immediately thought of Zooillogix upon reading it. Does this mean we have finally captured the coveted drunk-elephant-electrocution-news niche? Time to raise our advertising rates!
In the morning, Babar totally regretted this...
Thanks to Kevin Z of The Other 95% for being the first to bring this to our attention.
Environment
Brain & Behavior
Comments
It's a good week for stories like this. Maybe the elephant and the squirrel were in cahoots with the mayor-killing horde of monkeys in Delhi....
Posted by: Ed Yong | October 23, 2007 7:04 PM
"Does this mean we have finally captured the coveted drunk-elephant-electrocution-news niche?"
No, it means you've definitely captured the crazy animal niche. Run with it for all it's worth! People love these stories! If you can work some science and evolution into the story too, so much the better!
Posted by: Ian | October 24, 2007 7:31 AM
crazy
Posted by: Joe Smith | December 10, 2007 1:35 PM
wat the heck why would you get an elephant drunk you dumb idiots
Posted by: savannah | July 25, 2008 12:25 AM
you stupid fuckers god damit that coul of killed that elephant
Posted by: lilly | July 25, 2008 12:27 AM
it is excellent
Posted by: farooq | August 13, 2008 3:00 PM
It's a good week for stories like this. People love these stories! If you can work some science and evolution into the story too, so much the better!
Posted by: G.seenivasakumar | August 15, 2008 10:17 AM
Super photo !
Posted by: Metin | September 10, 2008 6:20 PM
fghcvbnjvj
Posted by: siva | November 3, 2008 10:55 PM
OMG dont eat him my husband looks likes an elephant when he is drunk but he has not elecrututid himself yet sadly :D drunk good for nuthid fridge hoggin kisser of other woman stupid person!!!!!
Posted by: habobo | November 12, 2008 4:50 PM
The comments on this entry rival the bazaarness of the post.
Posted by: Katie | November 13, 2008 8:14 PM
Yessiree, bizarre.
Posted by: ym | November 14, 2008 5:07 PM
biutifoooooooool imege
Posted by: hanmant | November 21, 2008 10:45 AM