Elephants use medicinal plants to treat themselves, researchers find

New research indicates that African elephants possess a sophisticated understanding of natural remedies, utilizing dozens of different medicinal plants to self-medicate. This behavior extends to their family units, suggesting a communal approach to health and well-being within their herds.

The findings reveal that these large mammals are not merely grazing indiscriminately but are actively selecting specific flora for therapeutic purposes when they or their kin fall ill. This practice highlights a remarkable level of cognitive ability and traditional knowledge passed down within elephant populations, allowing them to manage various ailments through botanical means.

While the specific plants and conditions they treat are not detailed in the initial findings, the revelation underscores the complex relationship between wildlife and their natural environments. This self-medication, or zoopharmacognosy, has been observed in other animal species, but the scale and variety reported for African elephants suggest a particularly advanced form of this behavior.

The research opens avenues for further study into elephant intelligence, social structures, and the potential pharmacological properties of the plants they consume.

What to watch: Future studies detailing the specific plants and ailments elephants treat.

Editor's note: The draft is well-written and adheres to the source, though it introduces the term 'zoopharmacognosy' which was not in the provided summary.

This article is AI-generated and fact-gated. Original reporting: BBC Science