For those that are confused about how to get an elephant.

The elephant has quite a unique resource drop and requires coffee beans, a mid game crop, to keep them well fed. Coffee beans can be planted via mixed seeds if your luck is good however the seed packets are not unlocked until you have completed Rowan's Elixir of Life quest. (a quest description can be found here https://staxel.fandom.com/wiki/Rowan#Elixir_of_Life)

It was therefore decided to lock elephants behind the Elixir of Life quest. Once the quest is complete then elephants will appear in Lief's general store and on the merchant carts in the town square.