Elephants develop successful coping skills when back in the wild

By Stephen Beech

Elephants develop successful "coping mechanisms" when returning to the wild from human care, according to new research.

Observations show "rewilded" elephants can fit in well within wildlife systems and readapt - even after long-term captivity, say scientists.

While there have been a few instances of elephant rewildings in southern Africa, until now only limited research had investigated how well they managed to adapt to natural environments.

For the new study, researchers from the Elephant Reintegration Trust of South Africa examined the behavioral and physiological responses of 11 formerly captive elephants which had been released onto four different reserves.

Each elephant was observed for three weeks at a time at least once per year over a period of five years.

The research team looked for behavioral indicators that the elephants might be uncomfortable in their wild surroundings and for behaviors that might be "hold-overs" from their time in captivity - such as conflict and confrontation as well as increased self-directed touching.

The findings showed that, overall, rewilded elephant behavior was "very similar" to that of their wild neighbors.

The research team also collected fecal samples from each elephant to test for signs of metabolic stress.

The findings showed that the rewilded elephants, particularly females, did show generally higher stress levels, but not outside of the normal range for wild elephants.

The differences may reflect their previous captive experiences, social circumstances, environmental conditions, and tourism or management pressures, according to the research team.

More from this section

Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American

August Mortgage Outlook: Rates Heading Higher

Can family traditions make it harder to quit eating meat?

They say their findings, published in the journal PLOS One, show that rewilded elephants behave "very similarly" to their wild counterparts, despite some consistent differences - suggesting that they have adapted well to the return to wild habitats.

The research team also note da high degree of variability in behavior between individual rewilded elephants, which might be related to each animal's personality - suggesting that each individual has found their own unique ways to cope with their relocation.

The 11 animals in the study represent more than 50% of the rewilded elephant population across South Africa so far.

Co-author Tenisha Roos said: "Overall, rewilded elephants exhibited behavioral and physiological patterns comparable to those of wild elephants, despite some individual, age- and sex-related differences.

"While a few elephants showed slightly elevated stress biomarkers, all values remained within the normal range for wild populations, indicating successful adaptation with no evidence of chronic stress."

She added: "What I found most fascinating was watching elephants that had spent decades in captivity adapt so successfully to life in the wild.

"Seeing them respond to their environment and function much like wild elephants was truly awe-inspiring and a powerful reminder of their remarkable resilience, adaptability, and behavioral flexibility."

Co-author Tammy Eggeling said: "Although previously captive elephants may carry the memories of a life spent in confinement, our research has shown that, when given the opportunity, they can leave that past behind.

"They are able to learn new skills, adapt to unfamiliar environments, and ultimately thrive as wild elephants."

Co-author Brett Mitchell added: "The data from this project show that when captive elephants are rewilded and given the opportunity, they can regain full autonomy and re-establish natural patterns of movement and behavior.

"Through this research, we are also seeing that rewilded elephants can make a meaningful contribution to the conservation of their species."