A video camera trap screenshot caught a bull elephant connecting with one of the puzzle boxes in the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. Performed at the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, the study utilized motion-activated cameras to observe 77 wild Asian elephants who approached and chose whether to try opening puzzle boxes with three differently set up compartments that consisted of highly aromatic jackfruit. Depending on the compartment with which the elephant engaged, the jackfruit might be accessed by pulling on a chain so the door opened towards the elephant, pressing the door so that it swung open into the box, or moving the door open to the. Over time, 44 of the elephants who approached the puzzle boxes connected with them, but there were private differences in how ingenious the elephants were.
Researchers at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College studied the analytical abilities of wild Asian elephants at Thailands Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary. Utilizing puzzle boxes filled with jackfruit, they discovered varying levels of innovative behavior in elephants accessing food, highlighting the possible effect of elephant cognitive flexibility on conservation and human-elephant dispute mitigation.
A current study examines elephants capacity for development and getting rid of barriers to access food sources.
Individual innovation is typically deemed a marker of intelligence among different species. Elephants, in particular, have gathered attention from researchers due to their advanced analytical abilities. A current study published in the journal Animal Behaviour describes the results of a half-year research study. This research study observed the capabilities of specific wild Asian elephants to reach food by resolving puzzles that opened storage containers.
” This is the very first research study to show that private wild elephants have various determination and capabilities to issue solve in order to get food,” said the research studys lead author Sarah Jacobson, a psychology doctoral candidate studying animal cognition at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College. “This is crucial knowledge, because how animals think and innovate may affect their capability to make it through in environments that are quickly altering due to human presence.”
A video camera trap screenshot captured a bull elephant communicating with one of the puzzle boxes in the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. The setup of the puzzle box is a push door at the top, pull door in the middle, and a slide door at the bottom. Credit: The Comparative Cognition for Conservation Lab, Dept of Psychology at Hunter College
Conducted at the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, the study used motion-activated electronic cameras to observe 77 wild Asian elephants who decided and approached whether to try opening puzzle boxes with 3 differently configured compartments which contained highly fragrant jackfruit. Depending on the compartment with which the elephant connected, the jackfruit could be accessed by pulling on a chain so the door opened toward the elephant, pushing the door so that it swung open into the box, or sliding the door open to the. The elephants had to separately communicate with the puzzle boxes to find how the compartments might be opened
An electronic camera trap screenshot captured a bull elephant engaging with one of the puzzle boxes in the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. The setup of the puzzle box is a push door at the top, pull door in the middle, and a slide door at the bottom. Credit: The Comparative Cognition for Conservation Lab, Dept of Psychology at Hunter College
With time, 44 of the elephants who approached the puzzle boxes engaged with them, however there were private distinctions in how innovative the elephants were. The scientists discovered that elephants who communicated with the puzzle boxes more regularly and with higher persistence were more successful in recovering food from all 3 differently set up compartments. In general, 11 elephants fixed one compartment type and 8 fixed 2 compartment types. Five elephants resolved all three types, and for that reason were the most ingenious.
” Conflict involving human beings and elephants is increasing due to loss of natural environment and farming encroachment into what is left of it,” said the research studys primary investigator Dr. Joshua Plotnik, a psychology professor with the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College, and Sarah Jacobsons dissertation advisor. “Investigating innovation and problem-solving in elephants can inform our understanding of wild elephant cognitive versatility and its prospective effect on preservation management and human-elephant conflict mitigation.”
Reference: “Innovating to solve an unique puzzle: wild Asian elephants differ in their ability to problem solve” by Sarah L. Jacobson, Juthapathra Dechanupong, Wantida Horpiencharoen, Marnoch Yindee and Joshua M. Plotnik, 23 September 2023, Animal Behaviour.DOI: 10.1016/ j.anbehav.2023.08.019.
