Elephonics:

For the big sounds of pachyderm percussion, check out the Thai Elephant Orchestra, a group of elephants at the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre that play specially designed instruments in the jungles of Thailand:

Those familiar with Thai instruments will recognise the slit drums, the gong, the bow bass, the xylophone-like renats, as well as the thundersheet. The only difference is that the elephant versions are a bit sturdier.

The elephants are given a cue to start and then they improvise. They clearly have a strong sense of rhythm. They flap their ears to the beat, swish their tails and generally rock back and forth. Some add to the melody with their own trumpeting.

Some of these elephants are multidisciplinary masters: they created paintings with artists Komar and Melamid that were auctioned off at Christie's.