"Unveiling the Astonishing Abilities of Wild Asian Elephants: Puzzle Solving, Trunk Dexterity, and Balance"
Originally Published 2 years ago — by Phys.org
A study conducted at the Salakpra Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand observed wild Asian elephants interacting with puzzle boxes to access food. The researchers found that individual elephants displayed varying levels of innovation and problem-solving abilities. Elephants who interacted with the puzzle boxes more frequently and persistently were more successful in retrieving food from different compartments. The study highlights the importance of understanding animal cognition and innovation in the face of human-induced environmental changes and can inform conservation management and human-elephant conflict mitigation efforts.