Elephant Hugs: Creatures Find Comfort in the Company of Friends

Of course, we all need a little love and affection from time to time. Yet did you know this also applies to elephants? According to a recent study, researchers found that Asian elephants in captivity may recognize when a mate is upset and offer kind advice or gentle caresses.

Lead study author Joshua Plotnik, a behavioral ecologist at Mahidol University in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, and primatologist Frans de Waal, director of Emory University's Living Links Center, worked through a controlled study to see just exactly what these creatures believe and how they relate to each other throughout times of hardship.

For their study, researchers examined 26 elephants of varying ages at the Elephant Nature Park in the Mae Tang district of Chiang Main Province, Thailand.

Over the period of a year, scientists spent up to two weeks per month and three hours observing the animals daily. Their findings showed instances of "emotional contagion" when herd mates tried to help out other upset individuals.

"With their strong bonds, it is not surprising that elephants show concern for others," de Waal said, via National Geographic. "They get distressed when they see others in distress, reaching out to calm them down, not unlike the way chimpanzees or humans embrace someone who is upset."

Plotnik added that whenever an elephant in the heard was stressed, it was very rare that another would not come reassure him or her.

The study authors said they also find this newly discovered information particularly exciting as it demonstrates an evolution of behaviors and emotions similar to those found in humans.

"I find this very exciting, because it suggests that the buck does NOT stop with us humans when it comes to smarts!" Plotnik concludes.

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the online journal PeerJ.