An Elephant Never Forgets

December 5, 2007

An elephant never forgets where to find its nearest and dearest
Lewis Smith, Environment Reporter

Members of an elephant family may be out of sight but they are always in the minds of the herd’s matriarchs, reseachers have found.

Tests have found that female elephants are able to remember the whereabouts of at least 17 family members simultaneously and perhaps as many as 30. They can keep mental tabs on which of their relations are ahead of them when the herd searches for food, which of them are lagging behind and which are travelling in separate groups.

Professor Richard Byrne, of the University of St Andrews, said that the elephants performed an impressive feat of memory by being able to recall where each of their relatives was in a constantly changing environment. “It’s hard enough for us to keep track of two or three children in a busy shopping centre. Imagine trying to do it with 30 or so,” he said.

Article at: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article3001086.ece