While elephants and humans are anatomically very different, learning about elephant society reveals a surprising number of parallels with our own social behavior. The strong social bonds, communal care, and deep emotional lives of elephants offer valuable lessons in connection and resilience.
The Importance of Family and Community
Elephant society is characterized by incredibly strong social bonds.
Female and Communal Care: Female elephants remain in their family groups their entire lives. Calves are not only raised by their mothers but also by a network of relatives, including sisters, brothers, aunties, cousins, and grandmothers. This communal raising of the young mirrors the human social structure of an extended family or "village" that supports new life.
Bachelor Herds: Male elephants remain with their family group until they become teenagers, at which point they move out and congregate with other males in what is known as a bachelor herd.
Sophisticated Communication and Loneliness
Elephants are highly adept at staying in touch over vast distances. They communicate using vocalizations within the human hearing range, but they also use infrasound—a very low-frequency sound that travels many miles. This infrasound is believed to be key in coordinating the movements of separated groups, allowing them to eventually meet back up.
This focus on maintaining long-distance connection is particularly relevant to the human experience, especially in large cities where loneliness has become a pervasive social issue. The elephant's commitment to continuous, long-distance communication underscores the importance of actively nurturing social connections to combat isolation.
Grief, Empathy, and Comfort
Elephant behavior provides compelling evidence that they are aware of death and actively grieve for members of their family. They also show curiosity and interest in the remains of other elephants they may not have known.
In one documented account from 1986, a herd was observed tending to a dying calf. After the baby passed away, the other elephants covered the tiny body with dirt, grass, and leaves. The mother then positioned herself over her child and began to rock, while other elephants would comfort her by affectionately stroking her back or intertwining their trunks.
This use of physical contact is critical, as elephants often touch each other with their trunks to provide comfort. When a distressed elephant is touched by another, it visibly relaxes and shows less distress, much like a human receiving a hug. This confirms that comfort, affection, and physical support are universal tools for reassurance, underscoring the deep-seated need for empathy and support to reinforce the feeling that one is part of a society and has a purpose.
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