A new scientific review has revealed that the loss of experienced elephants—especially matriarchs—cripples the ability of elephant herds to pass down critical knowledge, threatening their long-term survival.
Led by researchers from the University of Portsmouth, the study is the most comprehensive of its kind, analyzing 95 peer-reviewed papers on elephant social dynamics. It finds that human-caused disturbances like poaching, culling, habitat loss, and even translocation severely weaken elephant societies by severing intergenerational knowledge transfer.
Elders: The Keepers of Elephant Culture
Elephant societies rely heavily on older individuals to navigate landscapes, locate water and food, and respond to threats. These elders—often matriarchs—act as living repositories of survival skills.
“Elephants are among the most intelligent and socially complex animals on the planet,” said Dr. Lucy Bates, lead author and senior lecturer in comparative and evolutionary psychology at the University of Portsmouth. “Our findings suggest that when their social structures are disrupted, the consequences can ripple through generations.”
In healthy herds, younger elephants congregate around experienced elders, learning behaviors essential for reproduction, resource acquisition, and predator avoidance. When these key individuals are lost, calf survival rates drop, decision-making falters, and the group becomes more vulnerable.
How Human Activity Unravels Elephant Societies
The review examined social disruption across African savannah elephants, African forest elephants, and Asian elephants—highlighting consistent patterns across all species.
From poaching to habitat encroachment, elephants are increasingly cut off from the very individuals that help them survive.
“Elders are the keepers of knowledge in elephant societies. Their loss disrupts the transmission of essential survival skills, much like losing a library in human terms,” Dr. Bates explained.
Graeme Shannon, co-author and conservation biologist at Bangor University, emphasized the broader implications: “This research provides a fresh perspective on why elephant conservation must go beyond numbers. Without the cultural structure held together by matriarchs, long-term success becomes far less likely.”
Conservation Must Evolve with Elephant Culture in Mind
To address this crisis, the researchers call for an urgent shift in conservation priorities—one that includes safeguarding social networks, not just habitats and population sizes.
Among their key recommendations:
- Protect key individuals like matriarchs to maintain cultural knowledge
- Assess social impacts of translocation on both origin and destination herds
- Expand focus to Asian and forest elephants, which are underrepresented in current research
As elephants share much of their range with humans, their future is deeply tied to our choices. Preserving their social fabric is essential—not just for their survival, but for ecological balance and even human well-being.
This landmark review, published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, urges policymakers and conservationists to think beyond statistics. A herd’s strength lies not only in its size but in the invisible web of wisdom woven between generations.
“Understanding and safeguarding the social lives of elephants is no longer optional,” said Shannon. “It’s a necessity for ensuring these magnificent animals thrive in an increasingly human-dominated world.”
