We all experience moments of being ‘hangry’ when hunger sets in, and it turns out elephants are no exception.
A recent study has shown that while these magnificent animals generally work well together, their cooperation diminishes significantly when food resources are scarce.
Li-Li Li, the lead researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Yunnan, explained, “We found that Asian elephants have a diverse repertoire of behaviors to use when cooperating with others and are careful about mitigating competition based on their relationships. This is an exciting demonstration of how flexible and socially intelligent elephants are!”
The research involved nine semi-wild Asian elephants at the Myaing Hay Wun Elephant Camp in Yangon, Myanmar. The elephants participated in a series of tasks to assess their cooperative abilities.
In the first task, they were presented with two trays of food that could only be accessed by pulling two ropes simultaneously, a challenge requiring teamwork. The elephants cooperated successfully in 80% of the trials.
Interestingly, some elephants attempted to cheat by ‘freeloading’—taking advantage of others’ efforts to gain food.
However, the elephants also demonstrated strategies to counteract such behaviors, including fighting back or repositioning themselves to uphold cooperation.
In a follow-up task, the researchers presented a single food tray, potentially allowing one partner to monopolize the reward.
This scenario led to heightened competition, resulting in more aggressive behaviors, including fighting, as cooperation quickly faltered.
These findings provide valuable insights into the evolution of cooperative behavior among mammals.
Similar competitive responses have been observed in non-human primates, indicating that various species have developed comparable strategies to maintain social cooperation.
Unlike many primates, elephants are browsers and grazers that typically do not encounter easily monopolized food sources in their natural habitats. This may clarify why their cooperation diminished under more competitive circumstances.
The Asian elephant is classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Habitat destruction due to human population growth threatens their survival, as they are increasingly forced into smaller spaces, leading to more frequent conflicts with humans.
The study is detailed in the journal PLOS Biology.
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