Elephants pay close attention to urine and manure scent trails left by other elephants. This is the conclusion reached by research from Exeter University (UK) and Elephants for Africa.
The scientists took it upon themselves to monitor the paths that the elephants had used and concluded that wild elephants in the African savannah, especially those that travel alone, sniff and track urine and feces with their trunks.
This could indicate that scent trails, like cats and dogs, give them information about their pack. The results of the research have been published in the journal Animal Behavior.
Protect elephants
Now, the team of researchers is focused on finding out if it is possible to create ‘artificial trails’ to divert the elephants to protected villages, where humans do not have access or can harm them.
Also, as the scientists suggest, scent trails could be laid to improve the efficiency of the routes that connect elephant groups to protected areas.
“As the elephants follow these trails, they deposit their own urine and manure, which reinforces the presence of the trail for future elephants,” argued lead study author Connie Allen of the Exeter Animal Behavior Research Center.
This, in addition, is a great find for the conservation of elephants, since their movements could be manipulated.
Threat to elephants
The study was developed in Botswana, where the threat to elephants is quite high. Thus, by eliminating existing odor routes (which bring elephants into close contact with humans) and redirecting them, it may be possible to protect their population and reduce conflict.
Thus, according to scientists, this research could reconnect Botswana’s elephants with other populations in southern Africa.
The study, which examined a predominantly male elephant population, also found that the urine of adult elephants attracted more attention than that of younger male elephants. Thus, African elephants are able to discern the age and maturity of the individuals they expect to find from urine marks on the roads.
