Empathy & Compassion

Elephants Feel Empathy and Console Each Other

by |Published

Researchers find first evidence that elephants reassure others in distress. 

Asian elephants console and reassure one another when in distress through touch and vocalisation.For the first time, researchers have discovered evidence showing how the world’s largest land mammals interact and build social relationships in such a way.


Joshua Plotnik, from Emory University in Atlanta, explained that consolation behaviour is rare in the animal kingdom, with previous studies showing it in a limited number of species, including canines, great apes and certain corvids.

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“For centuries, people have observed that
 elephants seem to be highly intelligent and
empathic animals, but as scientists we
need to actually test it,” 

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