Are Elephants Capable of Intentional Killing?

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SUMMARY

Wild elephants in India are reportedly gathering in groups of up to 100 to attack villages, driven by hunger and possibly with the intent to kill humans. Experts suggest that these elephants exhibit advanced intelligence, with claims of one elephant learning to knock on doors to lure occupants outside. This behavior indicates a level of strategic thinking, as elephants may be acting out of learned aggression due to disrupted social structures, particularly among orphaned elephants lacking maternal guidance. The discussion highlights the complex interplay between human-elephant interactions and the psychological impacts of captivity and environmental stressors on elephant behavior.

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  • Understanding of elephant social structures and behavior
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  • Awareness of human-animal conflict dynamics
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  • Research the effects of orphaning on elephant behavior in conservation contexts
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  • #31
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  • #32
There have been battle elephants for ages. Have you forgotten Hannibal?
 
  • #33
Evo said:
There have been battle elephants for ages. Have you forgotten Hannibal?
I do remember Hannibal, I didn't think very many other folks did though.
He and his army crossed the Alps with them. Can you imagine? A lot of elephants didn't make it.. But Hannibal did use them in a famous battle, defeating the Romans at Ticino River. Claudius I (the stammerer) a later emperor of Rome, was a historian so naturally he remembered Hannibal.. Claudius used elephants during his campaign in Britania (more for the effect of surprise than might).
 
  • #34
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  • #35
I don't understand why you call them "slaves"; I doubt they would know what to do with a payslip...
 
  • #36
:smile:
Probably eat it.
 
  • #37
Anyone read this book?



It's about an elephant that was continually abuse until it finally cracked and went on a killing spree. After killing it's last owner, the elephant would go into villages to find specific houses and kill the owners. Turned out the elephant was an alcoholic, as was his last owner. The elephant was killing alcoholics because it associated them with his owner, then stealing their booze.

The telling of the actual hunt will end any question as to how quick a study elephants can be.
 
  • #38
There now an Endangering species.They have attacking people before hannibaal or before the wheel was invented humans hunted the mamoths during the Ice age and the Indian elephant is one the closest species to the mamoth.I also herd about elphants getting scared when they see another elephants bones when it dies because people used them for war for 100's of years and it became an instinct.
 
  • #39
Evo said:
Sad. :frown: These are beautiful, intelligent, social animals. There should be laws against their use as toys and slaves. :devil:

Yeah, it's no wonder that they lash out when they're beaten and chained on a regular basis.
 
  • #41
They are doing reruns on National Geographic on Elephants the Dark Side

Next show starts in 3 minutes :biggrin:
 
  • #42
lol that is sooo funny