The Sleeping World: Poolside Naps with an Asian Elephant

Wind down by escaping into nature. Part soundscape and part bedtime story, The Sleeping World is an intimate journey through ecologies around the world.

Elephants are the largest land animals in the world. They are also intensely social and have advanced long-term memories. In this episode, a parade of Asian elephants makes its way through the Sri Lankan forest to a lake for drinks and mud baths, stopping periodically for group naps. The female leading the parade uses infrasonic rumbles—inaudible to humans, but traveling as far as two miles along the surface of the Earth as seismic waves—to invite friends and family around the forest to join her at the reservoir.

This is the world in its natural state, defined by seasons, routines, and cycles. By the time the elephants are done socializing, covered in fresh mud, and ready to doze again, you’ll be ready to doze too.

Produced by Audible and Mumble Media
Written by Sarah Craig
Narrated by Cynthia Kimola
Executive Producers for Mumble Media: Cara Ehlenfeldt and Jake Young
Executive Producer for Audible: Anna Stitt
Sound Design and Mix: Mumble Media
The Mumble Media team is Jaymeson Catsouphes, Cara Ehlenfeldt, Chester Gwazda, Liz Mak, Lee Mengistu, Renée Vargas, and Jake Young
Asian Elephant Consultant: Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando
Fact-Checker: Andrea López-Cruzado
Head of Creative Development at Audible: Kate Navin
Chief Content Officer at Audible: Rachel Ghiazza

Available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.