Elephants have been observed touching, smelling, and gently moving the bones of deceased elephants. They may stand quietly for long periods or cover the body with leaves and soil. These behaviors strongly resemble mourning rituals. Elephants also show interest in skulls and tusks even years later. Scientists believe this reflects emotional processing and memory.
This matters because it demonstrates grief in a non-human animal. It forces us to rethink the emotional lives of wildlife.
Understanding elephant mourning has reshaped how conservationists handle deaths in the wild. Disrupting these rituals can cause long-term stress in herds.
Elephants show far less interest in the bones of other species. Their focus on elephant remains appears intentional and emotional.
BBC Earth (bbc.com)