Wild forest elephants shake down fruit and leaves from trees

Citation

Maisels F, Blake S & Turkalo A (2002) Wild forest elephants shake down fruit and leaves from trees. Pachyderm, (33), pp. 88-90. http://www.african-elephant.org/pachy/pdfs/pachy33.pdf#page=91

Abstract
It is possible that forest elephants frequently manipulate both objects and inedible parts of food plants to obtain food as part of their behavioural repertoire, but because these animals are rarely seen, the literature has little data on the subject. Savannah elephants, more easily observed in their environment, have been documented knocking fruit out of trees (Douglas-Hamilton 1972). The data reported on here are the first from the wild to show that forest elephants deliberately knock fruit and leaves down from trees. It is interesting that observations include both northern Congo and the coast of Gabon, more than 1000 kilometres away. It would be interesting to determine if this is widespread behaviour in forest elephants. If so, it highlights the adaptability of this mega herbivore.

Journal
Pachyderm, Issue 33

People

Professor Fiona Maisels

Honorary Professor, Biological and Environmental Sciences