White elephant (animal)

A white elephant (also albino elephant)^[1] is a rare kind of elephant, but not a distinct species. Although often depicted as snow white, their skin is typically a soft reddish-brown, turning a light pink when wet.^[2] They have fair eyelashes and toenails. The traditional "white elephant" is commonly misunderstood as being albino, but the Thai term, chang samkhan, actually translates as 'auspicious elephant', being "white" in terms of an aspect of purity.^[3]

As of 2023^[update], Myanmar has ten white elephants.^[4] The king of Thailand also keeps a number of white elephants, eleven of which are still alive as of 2016^[update].^[5]