Members of an elephant family share probably the strongest bond in all of animal kingdom.It’s a sense of belonging that connects not only the living members, but they also seem to have a deep respect for their ancestors as well.We cannot know what they are thinking, but perhaps, like humans, they have a sense of a shared history?
image/text credit: BBC
During their travels, this family came across the bones of a female elephant. Scavenged and sun-bleached they were sitting there as a reminder that there’s no escaping the circle of life. However, watch the reaction of the herd as they start examining the remains; watch how gently they inspect them and how they huddle up as if they pay respect.
Elephants have long been regarded for their ability, along with dolphins and chimpanzees, among others, to express emotion, even empathy. But their response to death remains a mystery. Do they have the human characteristic of grief? The examples are mounting, though the science remains incomplete.
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Elephants have respect for their dead, but their interaction with their dead is not something we fully understand.Every time it happens, it’s not the same, but it is striking behavior—not based on survival or necessity, but based on some sort of emotions.
