Elephants mourn their dead in a way that 'sends chills up one's spine'

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Elephants are considered one of the smartest species of mammal in the animal kingdom, but a new study says they mourn their dead, even if they did not have a strong relationship with them.

The research, published in the scientific journal Primates, notes that elephants are able to use their keen sense of smell to identify other elephants that have died. They've even been observed vocalizing or attempting to lift or pull elephants that have recently died, according to the findings.

"The most commonly recorded behavior of elephants toward their dead included touching, approaching the dead animal and investigating the carcass," said the study's lead author, Shifra Goldenberg, in a statement.

FILE PHOTO: A herd of elephants gathers at a water hole in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park, August 1, 2015. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo

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Goldenberg continued: "The motivations underlying observed behaviors are hard to know, but clearly varied across circumstances and individuals. For example, some elephants made repeated visits to a carcass, and it's possible that temporal gland streaming by a young female at the site of her mother's carcass is associated with heightened emotion."

The researchers studied 32 different elephant carcasses from 12 different regions across Africa to come up with their findings.

It's well established that elephants form relationships with other members of the species that last decades, with each relationship different, due to their complex social structure. However, witnessing their behavior toward other elephants, even if they did not have a strong relationship, is stunning, said George Wittemyer, of the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University and the Save the Elephants charity.

“Witnessing elephants interact with their dead sends chills up one's spine, as the behavior so clearly indicates advanced feeling," Wittemyer said in the statement. “This is one of the many magnificent aspects of elephants that we have observed, but cannot fully comprehend.”

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