Grapevine

Study suggests elephants remember zookeepers after many years

An elephant never forgets, as the saying goes. In fact, there is evidence that proboscideans still remember the waterholes they once visited decades later. They also often recognize fellow elephants that they have not encountered for a long time. But does their excellent long-term social memory also extend to members of other species?

"There are exciting stories of Asian elephants that suggest this," said Martin Kränzlin. He carried out a study as part of his Bachelor's thesis under the supervision of Professor Christine Böhmer (Zoology and Functional Morphology of Vertebrates working group) at the Zoological Institute at Kiel University.

"For example, it has been reported that elephants threw stones at a former owner they didn't like when they met again many years later. However, these are only anecdotal reports; this question has not yet been scientifically investigated."

Move from Berlin to Lower Saxony 13 years ago

The study, now published in the journal Zoo Biology, provides the first solid evidence that elephants can at least recognize the scent of their keepers, even after a long time. The study was carried out in cooperation with the Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Lower Saxony. It is home to two female elephants that moved from the Berlin Zoo to Hodenhagen 13 years ago—Bibi and Panya.