Asian elephants are able to resist impulsive responses when they are not effective and opt for alternative strategies to achieve a goal, reveals a study published in the journal PLOS One. The investigation constitutes the first demonstration of this inhibitory control capacity in elephants.
The researchers tested 16 Asian elephants at the National Elephant Institute in Thailand. In a first phase, they taught the animals to circumvent a small solid box to reach fruit through an opening. When the box was replaced by a transparent structure, with small apertures that allowed them to see and smell the food, the elephants resisted the temptation to try to reach the fruit directly and continued to use the side opening.
The experiment was then altered: the transparent box was rotated, causing the opening to no longer be in the position previously used. Initially, the elephants attempted to reach the food through the spot where the opening had been, but they quickly corrected the behavior and found the new access. The older individuals took longer to adapt, although the researchers emphasize that more studies will be needed to determine whether this difference is related to an eventual cognitive decline associated with age.
Inhibitory Control Capacity
Inhibitory control consists of the ability to prevent an impulsive response in favor of a more effective behavior and is associated with decision-making and cognitive flexibility. This ability has already been demonstrated in several species of birds and mammals, but this study presents the first evidence of this kind in elephants.
The results show that the animals are able to inhibit both the impulse to directly reach a visible food and the tendency to repeat a strategy that previously worked but no longer is effective.
According to the researchers, this capacity could contribute to elephants’ problem-solving abilities and social interactions. The study could also help to better understand how these animals respond to barriers and, in the future, contribute to strategies aimed at reducing conflicts between elephants and human populations.
