Woman's tutorial shows '3 ways to mount an elephant' — and the internet is going gaga over the video

A licensed animal exhibitor's interaction with her elephant is winning hearts everywhere. The professional, Lauryn Murray, @silkelephant, shared a tutorial video of '3 ways to mount an elephant' on her Instagram account on July 13, 2025, that instantly went viral, reaching more than 3.6 million views and 367K likes so far. The informative clip featured Murray showcasing three ways a person can try sitting on an elephant, from beginner to advanced level.

Essex, her pet elephant, has been in Murray's family since she was a baby. Her parents both worked in zoos, and their passion towards animals is what brought Essex home. Their decades-long bond is perhaps why they appear to be in sync during the 'task'. Murray first demonstrates the "easiest way" to mount an elephant, where she asks Essex to lower her trunk. Carefully placing her body onto it, she commands Essex to flip her onto her back, which the mammal follows through with in a gentle manner. In the second go, Murray gets Essex to extend her leg forward, forming a curve which Murray then climbs until she's plopped on the elephant's back. In the third, most difficult way, Essex is shown lying down on her side. Murray slips her leg past Essex's ear and taps the elephant, signaling her to stand up. In the process, Murray adjusts her weight and ends up poised atop her elephant once more.

While the video was uploaded for tutorial purposes, it also gained a lot of attention due to the adorable interaction between the elephant and its caretaker. Murray can be seen giving small treats to Essex, the elephant, as a reward whenever she successfully helps her sit on her back, which is one of the most common ways to train animals. This method is known as positive reinforcement training, where 'good behavior' is rewarded in order to establish it as the 'norm' for an animal.

In a recent study, positive reinforcement training (PRT) was the only method used to train sooty mangabeys to move on cue throughout their enclosure. The training led to a significant improvement in their voluntary movement, achieving the target of 90% compliance, even though the group did not consistently reach 100% compliance. Social rank affected how well the animals responded, where high-ranked mangabeys showed 97% compliance, medium-ranked 89%, and low-ranked 85%. The study also mentioned that while PRT requires a high investment of time, it is extremely rewarding.

While the internet loved the video, the little details did not go unnoticed by social media users. One such part showcased Murray giving a cookie to Essex after she demonstrated the first way to mount an elephant, but unfortunately, the cookie went to waste as it fell on the ground. Netizens made sure to add an amusing touch to this incident and mention it in the comment section. @latindancefactory wrote, "First cookie didn’t count button." @yaitsaana also pointed out, "She dropped her cookie!"

The caretaker also mentions in the viral video about being careful and not attempting to mount an elephant at home, to which many users responded cutely. @lm.y0ur.huckleberry wrote, "I would love to try this at home but my apartment has a strict no elephant policy," while @kowalien commented, "Don't try this at home... sister, I don't have such a beautiful elephant at my crib no worries." 

The elephant is a part of the majority of the videos on Murray's profile as she shares informative clips to educate others. In one post, the elephant is having a footcare day as its toenails get polished and are also painted by Murray in a striking pink hue. Another sweet clip, captioned "The conversations we have with our best friends," shows Murray dressed up and walking ahead, and the elephant follows her around. The bond between the two is exactly what makes the videos so appealing.

For more heart-melting animal content, follow @silkelephant on her Instagram account.