Elephants are thought to rely on cultural knowledge, learning from older group members. In all three elephant species, younger individuals often gather around older elephants, creating chances for social learning. However, direct proof of elephant traditions and knowledge transfer remains limited.
A new study presents evidence of knowledge transfer in elephant societies and systematically reviews how they respond to losing experienced individuals. The study finds that such losses cause social disruption, weaken group cohesion, and affect survival, reproduction, and behavior.
A groundbreaking study has revealed a critical and often overlooked threat to elephant conservation—the loss of older, experienced individuals. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth found that human disturbances such as poaching, habitat destruction, and translocation disrupt social learning in elephant herds, leading to weaker, less cohesive populations.
The study highlights that elephants rely on elders, particularly matriarchs, to navigate environments, find resources, and avoid predators. Their absence interrupts the flow of knowledge between generations, much like removing a library from a human community.
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Why Losing Matriarchs is a Disaster for Elephant Societies?
Elephants are widely presumed to have a cultural knowledge system in which young individuals learn by congregating around older conspecifics. However, direct evidence of social learning and cultural traditions in elephants has been scarce—until now.
The research team reviewed 95 peer-reviewed papers spanning African savannah elephants, African forest elephants, and Asian elephants. Their findings confirm that human disturbances profoundly impact elephant social networks, influencing survival rates, reproduction, and behavioral responses to threats.
The consequences ripple through generations, potentially leading to:
- Lower calf survival rates due to a lack of guidance from experienced females.
- Poor group decision-making, as herds struggle without leadership.
- Inappropriate responses to predators and threats increase vulnerability.
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A Call for Change: Conservation Must Go Beyond Numbers
This study suggests that protecting habitats alone is insufficient—elephant conservation must prioritize social cohesion and knowledge transmission. The researchers propose three key strategies to integrate cultural conservation into efforts to save elephant populations:
- Protecting Key Individuals – Safeguarding matriarchs and experienced elephants to ensure knowledge transfer continues.
- Monitoring Translocation Impacts – Evaluating how moving elephants affect social structures in both source and destination populations.
Expanding Research on Forests and Asian Elephants: Addressing knowledge gaps for less studied species but equally vulnerable species.
Since elephants share much of their range with human populations, their fate is deeply intertwined with human actions. Preserving their social structures is crucial for elephant survival, ecosystem balance, and local communities.
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“This research challenges us to think beyond numbers,” the authors conclude. “Understanding and safeguarding the social lives of elephants is no longer optional—it’s necessary to ensure these magnificent animals thrive in an increasingly human-dominated world.”
Journal Reference:
- Bates Lucy, Fishlock Victoria Louise, Plotnik Joshua, de Silva Shermin and Shannon Graeme 2025Knowledge transmission, culture and the consequences of social disruption in wild elephants. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B38020240132. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2024.0132
