The Self-Domestication of Wild African Elephants: Insights into Complex Emotions.

A study by biologists and linguists from various universities suggests that wild African elephants may have self-domesticated, similar to humans and bonobos. The researchers compared 20 characteristics of self-domestication between the three species and found many similarities, including increased playfulness, social behavior, and shorter jaws. They also identified 79 genes associated with domestication in the genomes of wild African elephants, indicating that they have self-domesticated over time. The study suggests that other species may have also self-domesticated.