Visual and olfactory recognition of familiar humans and elephants by African elephants

African elephants (Loxodonta africana) distinguish between familiar and non-familiar conspecifics through olfaction and human ethnic groups through vision and olfaction. We investigated whether elephants recognize individual familiar humans and elephants through vision and olfaction in two captive African elephants. After training, visual recognition was tested over three sessions with three keepers holding a photo array with two photos. Using similar methodology, olfactory recognition was assessed using a t-shirt worn by an individual as the sample above the photo array. Visual recognition of familiar elephants was assessed matching a photo of one side of a familiar elephant to a photo array of two photos of the other side of elephants. Throughout the study, recognition was determined if the elephant touched the correct photo significantly above chance. Results indicate one of the elephants may be able to recognize familiar keepers through visual and olfactory cues due to significant performance above chance in multiple sessions.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Author dc:creator

• Perret, Victoria

Contributors dc:contributor

• Foerder, Preston G.
• Ozbek, Irene Nichols, 1947-; Warren, Amye
• College of Arts and Sciences

• African elephant -- Behavior

Licence

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/524

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1677