Two weeks after the death of their matriarch, Victoria, wild elephants in Samburu National Reserve in northern Kenya continue to visit her remains and display unique behaviors seen only in their species. This video shows groups of elephant families using their trunks to touch and explore Victoria’s carcass while standing peacefully in place. This rarely seen event is giving researchers insight into the elephants’ social relationships. Though the researchers are hesitant to call this behavior “mourning,” they do believe elephants display a specific reaction in response to the death of one of their own.
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Related article by Laura Parker:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/elephants-mourning-video-animal-grief/
VIDEOGRAPHER: Shifra Goldenberg/Save the Elephants
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Jed Winer
EDITOR: Jennifer Murphy
Rare Footage: Wild Elephants “Mourn” Their Dead | National Geographic
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