"It notes that the accuracy does not seem to improve when there is a real, local elephant they can use as a model." The single specimen mentioned in the articl

"It notes that the accuracy does not seem to improve when there is a real, local elephant they can use as a model." The single specimen mentioned in the article was kept inside the Tower of London which was off-limits to the vast majority of population. I doubt many artists had access to it and had a chance to see a real elephant. Even if it was on display publicly, mostly London artists could see it anyway, as people didn't travel much back then.