Elephants transmit knowledge such as migration routes, danger zones, and food sources across generations. This information is taught through experience and following elders. Cultural knowledge can persist for over a century. It shapes behavior beyond genetics. Elephant society is built on learning.
It matters because killing elders erases culture. Knowledge loss weakens future generations.
This reframes conservation as cultural preservation. Protecting memory holders protects survival strategies.
Some elephant migration paths are hundreds of years old. These routes exist only because knowledge was preserved.
International Union for Conservation of Nature (iucn.org)