New evidence is supporting the theory that Asian elephants bury their young, according to a new study published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa.
New photos reveal the graves of several calves, their bodies buried except for their legs. It’s the first time scientists have seen this behavior in Asian elephants, per Smithsonian Magazine.
Where and why they bury their calves
Burials have long been associated as a unique feature of the Homo sapiens and Neanderthal species, according to National Geographic. There are two types of behaviors when it comes to burying the dead: mortuary behavior and funerary behavior.
Mortuary behavior is normally seen among animals, where they just watch the dead body and sometimes expect it to come to life, while funerary behavior involves social customs fueled by complex thoughts, according to National Geographic.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, scientists had found five Asian elephant calves in irrigation trenches between 2022 and 2023. The study reports that while investigating the bodies, there was evidence that the dead calves had been carried by their trunks and legs before being gently buried in irrigation ditches in an upright position.
The reasons why the calves were buried in such a manner include giving other members of the herd a chance to help bury the calf and covering the head and torso to protect them from scavengers, per Smithsonian Magazine. Scientists had also found elephant footprints and elephant dung at the graves, supporting these reasons.
The herd’s emotional response
The study had gathered anecdotal evidence of what these herds would do after burying the calves. Workers reported hearing the elephants make loud vocalizations at the gravesite, which could signify their mourning. They also believe that the whole herd participating in the burial could also be another sign of mourning.
Researchers also noticed that the Asian elephants would avoid the gravesite after burial, taking different routes as to not come across it again, per Smithsonian Magazine.
This study has helped researchers understand more about the Asian elephant species. Chase LaDue, an applied ecologist, shared in an interview with New Scientist that “we must be careful in how we interpret these results, especially as the mental and emotional lives of elephants are still largely mysterious to us,” according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Scientists currently know that elephants are one of Earth’s most intelligent creatures, having already proven their advanced cognitive thinking skills to scientists, like compassion and self-awareness, according to National Geographic.