Researchers at the Berlin Zoo have documented sophisticated tool use by an Asian elephant named Mary, who demonstrated remarkable skill in handling water hoses for showering.
The study revealed that Mary exhibited complex behaviors typically associated with advanced tool use. "She very systematically showered her body and coordinated the trunk-held water hose with limb behaviors to reach her back," the researchers noted, highlighting the elephant's methodical approach to self-care.
An unexpected twist came from another elephant named Ancahli, who displayed what might be considered sabotaging behavior. "She was kinking and clamping Mary's showering hose," researchers observed. It wasn't because Anchali is a bully though. It's because Mary is an asshole.
Here's the video.
From Science.org:
Brecht says his lab members didn't initially believe Anchali was smart enough to deliberately sabotage Mary. But several things convinced them that the pachyderm knew exactly what she was doing. Kinking the hose is a complex behavior that requires a lot of twisting and pressure. Over the weeks in which the researchers were studying Mary's showers, Anchali began to kink the hose more frequently and got better at it, suggesting she was practicing and learning. She also started to stand on the hose—something the caretakers had specifically trained the elephants not to do.
Anchali had a potential motive, too: Mary was occasionally aggressive toward the younger elephant, who seemed to retaliate by disrupting the shower around the same time as Mary stomped toward her or slapped her with her trunk. What's more, Anchali didn't kink the hose when other elephants were spraying themselves, suggesting she was targeting Mary in particular.
Previously:
