DELHI (Diya TV) — In an extraordinary revelation, researchers in India have uncovered a fascinating behavior among Asian elephants: the burial of dead calves. This groundbreaking discovery, documented in a recent study led by Akashdeep Roy from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), provides new insights into the social dynamics and cognitive abilities of these majestic creatures.
The study, conducted in northern Bengal, revealed that five calves were buried on their backs in drainage ditches within tea gardens—a phenomenon never before observed in Asian elephants. While African elephants have been known to bury their dead offspring, this behavior among their Asian counterparts is a novel finding, according to Roy, speaking to CNN.
These burials occurred in areas characterized by fragmented forests and agricultural lands, where elephants traverse trails amidst tea gardens during their journeys. Despite their historical habitat preferences in forests, elephants have gradually adapted to human presence in recent decades, making the tea garden drainage ditches ideal sites for calf burials.
Roy explained that elephants likely utilize their trunks or legs to maneuver the carcasses into the ditches, thereafter covering them with mud—an intricate process facilitated by the unique landscape of the tea gardens. This behavior implies a level of intentionality and social organization among Asian elephants previously unrecognized.
Surprisingly, the researchers observed that the elephants did not revisit the burial sites, contrary to the mournful rituals observed in African elephant herds. Even after the Indian Forest Service removed the carcasses, the elephants tended to avoid these areas, indicating a nuanced understanding and response to death among these intelligent beings.
Roy expressed his intention to further investigate calf burials in collaboration with local communities, employing drones and engaging tea garden managers for continued observations. However, Joshua Plotnik, an expert in elephant cognition from Hunter College, urged caution in interpreting these findings, suggesting alternative explanations such as accidental deaths in drainage ditches.
Nevertheless, Roy maintains his assertion, supported by evidence of contusions on the backs of the deceased calves, indicating deliberate dragging by other herd members. The study, published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, represents a significant milestone in our comprehension of elephant behavior, prompting continued exploration into their intricate social lives.
