Dangers Through Olfaction And Visualization Of Elephants

Studies have shown that elephants have the ability to sense dangers through olfaction and visualization. A 2007 study conducted in Kenya concluded that elephants’ keen senses allow them to identify predators and the level of danger in their midst. Throughout the years, the Maasai men in Kenya would spear elephants while the Kamba men did not threaten the animals in any way. In this experiment, eighteen groups of elephants were exposed to three different types of red cloth: unworn cloth, cloth worn by a Maasai man, and cloth worn by a Kamba man. Red was chosen for the cloths to represent the color worn by most Maasai men while hunting; this would test an elephant’s ability to identify an agitating stimulus through sight. The experimenters carefully

After smelling the different cloths, the animals had a faster reaction time and moved farther away from the cloth worn by Maasai men. Their quick senses indicated a sense of fear, taking the smell as a sign that a predator was nearby. In these cases, the elephants also exhibited movement towards areas with tall grasses to hide and take shelter when close to potential dangers. For an emphasis on the visual aspect of the study, the experimenters laid out unworn cloths in red or white. The elephants became more alert and reactive to the red ones versus the white ones, showing their ability to recognize a color of caution. They could associate the color with danger, becoming aggressive towards the stimulus. An additional test was instituted for the experiment giving exposure to stimuli for elephants who have experienced spearing themselves or have witnessed spearing in the area. These results indicated a variation in sensory cue effects. The experimenters determined elephants can divide humans into different categories according to danger levels in association with familiarity of surroundings and previous encounters with certain