Research Shows Elephants Recognize Cooperation

[Judi Lynn]

Research Shows Elephants Recognize Cooperation
New Study Shows They Understand What It Means to Cooperate With Others
By NICK WATT and MAGGY PATRICK
March 7, 2011

Elephants understand how cooperation works and recognize the circumstances in which they should work together for a common goal, according to a new study.

"A lot of species in the animal kingdom cooperate," said Joshua Plotkin, the study's lead author and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. "But most species probably don't really understand about how cooperation works, they don't have the cognition for it. They don't think about it."

Researchers from Emory University in Atlanta teamed up with the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Thailand to see if the elephants can learn to cooperate with each other in pairs. The study included 12 Asian elephants.

Experiment Shows Elephants' Ability to Recognize Cooperation
The study began with researchers placing corn on a table that was far out of reach from the elephants. The table had one rope attached to it, and the rope was threaded around the table so a long strand was available on both sides.

Cont'd:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/elephants-recognize-assistance-researchers/story?id=13074769

[tridim]

1. They are also actually afraid of mice.

Thanks Mythbusters!

[xchrom]

2. Recommend

[damntexdem]

3. But Teabaggers likely couldn't pass the test.

;-)

[Turbineguy]

4. Dang it!

The GOP will have to find a new symbol now.

[left is right]

5. real elelphants are smart

so much smarter than those that use their image for political purposes

[Kennah]

6. However ...

... real elephants also eat shit, so, I'd say the symbol still holds.

[cognoscere]

7. Your post reminds me of an old adage: Life is like a shit sandwich -

the more bread you have, the less shit you have to eat.