When elephants sleep, they reveal a side of their lives that we rarely get to see ! Here, a herd of wild elephants is sleeping peacefully on an island of tall grass in Assam. Elephants can rest and doze while standing, remaining ready to move at the first sign of danger. But lying down is different. It allows the body to relax fully and is associated with deeper, restorative sleep, including REM sleep, the stage linked with dreaming. A landmark study of two free-ranging African elephant matriarchs found that they slept for only about two hours a day. They sometimes remained awake for nearly two days and lay down to sleep only once every three or four nights. Sleep patterns vary between individuals, ages, species and environments, and much remains to be understood about sleep among wild Asian elephants. But researchers know that elephants are more likely to lie down when they feel comfortable and secure. That is what makes this sight so beautiful. A herd lying asleep together shows they have allowed their vigilance to trust the landscape around them. Video - brilliant Video by Abdul Sahil Scientific references: Gravett et al., PLOS ONE, 2017⁠ and Schiffmann et al., Zoo Biology, 2018⁠. #wildandfree #elephants #wildlifeconservation