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Elephants are large animals briefly mentioned in the DreamWorks Dragons franchise.
Description[]
Elephants are mammals belonging to the family Elephantidae, order Proboscidea. There are currently 3 existing species: African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana), African Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), and Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus).
The elephants are the largest terrestrial animals. They have large ears and thick skin, adapted for high temperatures. They have a long unique nose called trunk. It has no bones, making it able to bend in every direction. It has 150,000 muscles so it can be used for drinking water, lifting objects and even for defense. It is also used while feeding, getting the leaves and the grass the elephant eats.
The elephants, mostly the African ones, have modified incisors in the upper jaw, which grow with 17cm per year. They are called tusks. Humans hunts elephants mostly for their tusks.
Function[]
There is no mentioned function for the elephant in the franchise.
However, in the real life, elephants are hunted for their tusks and meat. In some countries they are used for transportation. Elephants are also a common animal at circuses and zoos.
Appearances[]
Dragons: Race to the Edge[]
Season 2[]
In the episode "Maces and Talons, Part 1", Tuffnut mentions elephants as part of an English idiom.
| “ | Can we just talk about the elephant in the sky for a second? | ” |
| — Tuffnut in Maces and Talons |
The idiom is "the elephant in the room", adapted because the Dragon Riders were flying at the time. In general this idiom means that there is a concern to all present that is not being discussed.
Games[]
School of Dragons[]
During the Battle for the Edge expansion pack, Astrid mentions elephants while describing animal behavior.
| “ | Cooperative pack behavior is how some animals and mammals survive. Musk Oxen and elephants will circle around their young to form a defensive barrier. Dolphins will travel in shoals to defend the group from shark attacks. | ” |
| — Astrid |
Dragons: Rise of Berk[]
During a Journey to Dark Deep, Fishlegs decides to study the Catastrophic Quaken, whose size he compares with a mammoth, an extinct species of elephant.
Other Mentions[]
Toothless[]
According to DreamWorks' YouTube Video Series, "The DreamWorks Download", Toothless, and perhaps the Night Fury as a species, was inspired by many animals, including elephants. "The noises Toothless makes are a combination of elephant seals, elephants, tigers, horses, and domestic cats."
Bewilderbeast[]
The Bewilderbeast was inspired by many animals, including mammoths, an extinct species of elephant.
| “ | The Bewilderbeast is a cross between a mammoth, an otter and a regal lion. | ” |
| — Communication from Simon Otto to Empire Online |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Usually whenever someone refers to the idiom "the elephant in the room" they instead replace Elephant with the Rumblehorn dragon saying "the Rumblehorn in the room".
- In Rise of Berk when Fishlegs compares a Quaken's size to a Mammoth, historically this is inaccurate as the Woolly Mammoth wasn't discovered until the year 1796.
References[]
Elephant on Wikipedia
Elephant in the room on Wikipedia- How To Create Your Dragon: The Inspirations Behind The Creatures. Empire Online. (Published on July 10, 2014)
- 100 HTTYD Facts Only True Fans Know DreamworksTV, (Published on Aug 27, 2015). YouTube.
