PASSAGE 1.
Among the many advanced cognitive abilities that elephants exhibit, their exceptional memory is what they are most known for. Elephant memory is an area of study that many researchers have sought to understand and explain, and recent findings reveal that much has yet to be discovered.
Elephants travel in herds typically guided by the oldest female - the matriarch - and her memory is imperative to their survival. She can remember the location of watering holes and feeding points and is the one in charge of leading the herd to safety when disaster strikes.
Researchers have found that in periods of drought, for instance, herds with younger matriarchs are less likely to survive. The older matriarch is able to recollect information from decades back. While humans might experience memory loss as they grow older, the exact opposite occurs with elephants. Another study exhibited how herds with older female leaders huddled together in the face of a predator, whereas those with younger matriarchs didn't. Older matriarchs seemed to remember encountering dangerous strangers in the past and knew when to take a defensive position to ward them off.
Elephants form strong social ties with each other and build a complex network of relationships throughout life which depends on genetic, social and circumstantial factors. Their strong memory helps maintain these through time and space. It is believed that they can keep track of the location of about 30 other elephants at any given time when travelling; an impressive figure considering that they don't always roam in a fixed order and the groups are frequently changing.
(Adapted from OnScreen)
